Dan Graser

DMA - University of Michigan

MM - University of Michigan

BM - Crane School of Music at Potsdam

Saxophonist Daniel Graser is emerging as one of the most innovative and influential performers and pedagogues of his generation. A recipient of the Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of Michigan where he served as Teaching Assistant to legendary pedagogue Donald Sinta, Dan previously earned a Masters Degree from UM and Bachelors degrees summa cum laude in music theory/history and saxophone performance as a student of Dr. Timothy McAllister at the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam. While a student at Crane, Dan won 1st Place in the concerto competition and was featured as soloist with the Crane Wind Ensemble in William Bolcom's Concert Suite for Saxophone and Band. Dan also performed with the Crane Symphony Orchestra and the Orchestra of Northern New York, and was three-time winner of the Crane Chamber Competition. Additionally, Dan joined the Crane Clarinet Choir as saxophonist for their tour to the Eastman School of Music and was featured as soloist with the group. While an undergrad, Dan was invited to perform as principal saxophone with the National Wind Ensemble in Carnegie Hall, under the baton of H. Robert Reynolds.

At UM Dan performed as principal saxophonist with the Michigan Symphony Band and has performed as soloist with them numerous times in the works of Colgrass, Smith, and Bolcom, including featured concerto performances with DSQ during the historic 2011 tour to China and Los Angeles. As aforementioned, Dan was Teaching Assistant to Don Sinta and was responsible for teaching undergrad music education classes, coaching quartets, and initiating and teaching a class for extended techniques to saxophone majors. Recently Dan was selected by the University of Michigan to perform as the featured saxophonist in recital at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. as part of the Millennium Stage series. Other recent and upcoming performances include world premieres at the Midwest Composer's Symposium and guest artist recitals and master-classes at the Paris Conservatory, Versailles Conservatory, Shanghai Conservatory, The Central Conservatory of Beijing, the China Conservatory, the University of North Carolina Greensboro, and West Virginia University.

In addition to his DSQ performances, Dan has been featured as an orchestral saxophonist across the country. As an orchestral performer, Dan has performed as principal saxophonist on numerous occasions with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra under Leonard Slatkin in the works of John Corigliano and David del Tredici and with the Ann Arbor Symphony under Arie Lipsky in the works of Bolcom, Ravel, and Beecher. For three years Dan was saxophonist with The New World Symphony in Miami Beach under conductor Michael Tilson Thomas. With NWS, Dan gave premieres and performances of works by John Adams (performed with the composer), Julia Wolfe, Giacinto Scelsi, and Alex Orfaly. A recent review of a world premiere by Orfaly with New World Symphony:

"a jazzy interlude spotlights a virtuosic, big band saxophone solo, played with dazzling agility and panache by Daniel Graser."

-South Florida Classical Review

Greatly in demand as an educator, Dan has given master-classes at public schools and colleges throughout the worl

Greatly in demand as an educator, Dan has given masterclasses and clinics at Universities and schools throughout the world. In 2011 Dan was added to the faculty of Oakland University and has since performed on multiple occasions with the Oakland Symphony and as soloist with the Oakland Wind Ensemble. In recent news, Dan will be joining the faculty of Grand Valley State University in the Fall of 2013. Dan maintains a private studio in Ann Arbor and his students have won numerous concerto competitions and gained admission to prestigious saxophone studios around the country in performance, jazz studies, and education degree programs. Currently on the faculty of GVSU, Dan has served on the faculties of Oakland University, the Ann Arbor School for the Performing Arts, the Expressions Music Academy, and the University of Michigan where he also served as Auditions Coordinator. Dan Graser was recently added to the Selmer Paris Artist Roster and performs on Selmer saxophones and mouthpieces exclusively.