Daniel McCarthy

Biography

Daniel McCarthy is Professor and Chair of The Composition and Theory Section at The University of Akron School of Music. He formerly held the Theodore Dreiser Distinguished Creative/Research Award at The Indiana State University School of Music where he was Co-director of The ISU Contemporary Music Festival with The Louisville Orchestra. U.S.A. Today describes his music as "intriguing, inviting, shimmering..." while The Cleveland Plain Dealer has written that his music is "Colorful, infectious and touching--." His music has been described as "Contemporary in the best sense of the word" by The Music Connoisseur magazine, and 21st Century Music Magazine proclaims his music to be "Sassy, foreboding, refreshing and kicky--it's called style."

McCarthy has over 30 recordings of his music on Albany, Centaur, d'Note Classics, Gasparo, and Klavier Records, and over 100 publications with C. Alan Publications. His music has been performed and recorded by artists such as The Harrington, Avalon, and Arianna String Quartets, Eugene Corporon and The North Texas Wind Symphony, The Brevard Festival Orchestra, The Taiwan National Symphony Orchestra, The World Youth Symphony Orchestra (Interlochen, Michigan), The Amarillo Symphony Orchestra, The Slovak National Symphony Orchestra, The Naples Symphony Orchestra, Rhythm & Brass, and The United State Marine Corps., Bands and Tuba/Euphonium Quartet, and the U.S. Army Jazz Ambassadors.

McCarthy is a recipient of The American Prize for orchestral music (professional division), The "Doc Severinsen International Composition Prize, The Harvey Phillips Excellence in Composition Award, New Generations Orchestra Commissioning Project, The Sackler Award, The International New Music Consortium Prize (New York University), Belgrade ppIANISSIMO Composition Prize, The Ohio Arts Council Excellence in Composition Award (5), The Indiana Arts Commission Artist Award (2), The Indiana State University Distinguished Creative Professor Award and Arts Endowment Grant (5), The Ohio Adult Composers Award (3), OMEA Composer of the Year, and a special tribute for his life's work as a composer by The State of Michigan Legislature.

He is founder of the Midwest Composers' Forum in Indiana, The Interlochen Composer's Institute in Michigan, and served as President of the Cleveland Composers Guild. Daniel has been Instructor of Composition at the Interlochen Arts Camp and has served as music Conductor of the Interlochen Festival Orchestra, The Cleveland Chamber Symphony, The Terre Haute Symphony Youth Orchestra, The University of Akron Symphony Orchestra, and The Akron New Music Ensemble. McCarthy has held positions as Visiting Scholar at both The University of Michigan and The Ohio University School of Music.

Beside a passion for music, Dr. McCarthy is completing his study for ordainment to 4th degree Black Belt Taekwondo Master. He takes additional instruction in Chin Na, Kung Fu, Kenpo, and is a 5th Stripe practitioner of Asia Weapons. He is Senior Category Midwest Regional Champion in Taekwondo Poomse (Form/Kata), Power Breaking and Technical Breaking. He has been honored by The Kikkiwon in Seoul, South Korea for his contributions to The Universal Taekwondo Association and the Korean Martial Arts.