Daniel E. Gawthrop
Encyclopedia
Daniel E. Gawthrop is an American composer
, primarily of choral music. His output also includes a substantial body of works for the organ
as well as orchestral and instrumental works. He has been the recipient of over one hundred commissions to write original music. His works have been published by Dunstan House, Warner Brothers, Theodore Presser, Sacred Music Press, the American Boychoir, and others.
He served for three years as Composer-in-Residence to the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra
(of Fairfax
, Virginia
, a suburb of Washington, D.C.
) and has been the recipient of four grants from The Barlow Endowment for Musical Composition
. He has been commissioned by dozens of institutions including the American Choral Directors Association
through their prestigious Raymond Brock Memorial series, and has had works première in the Concert Hall of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
, the Salt Lake City Mormon Tabernacle
, and Washington National Cathedral
. His choral pieces have been performed and recorded by such eminent ensemble
s as The United States Air Force Singing Sergeants, the Gregg Smith Singers
, the Turtle Creek Chorale
, the Paul Hill Chorale, the American Boychoir, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
, the Cathedral Choral Society
(of Washington National Cathedral
), Thomas Circle Singers
, and hundreds of other groups in the U.S. and abroad.
In addition to his work as a composer, Gawthrop has been active as a broadcaster
, clinician and adjudicator
, organist
, conductor
, teacher
and writer
, including a period as music critic for The Washington Post
. Gawthrop is a Life Member of the American Choral Directors Association
, a member of The American Guild of Organists
, and a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
, the music fraternity. Gawthrop currently serves on the Board of Advisors of the Barlow Endowment for Music Composition
at Brigham Young University
.
The bulk of his organ works have been recorded on two commercially available CDs. The first, "Exultate", is performed by Mary Mozelle on the Princeton University Chapel organ. The second disc, "Like a Fire", was performed by Dr. David Pickering on the Bales Recital Hall organ at the University of Kansas at Lawrence. Additional, more recent works remain unrecorded.
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, primarily of choral music. His output also includes a substantial body of works for the organ
Pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
as well as orchestral and instrumental works. He has been the recipient of over one hundred commissions to write original music. His works have been published by Dunstan House, Warner Brothers, Theodore Presser, Sacred Music Press, the American Boychoir, and others.
Biography
Gawthrop attended Michigan State University and Brigham Young University.He served for three years as Composer-in-Residence to the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra
Fairfax Symphony Orchestra
The Fairfax Symphony Orchestra has emerged over the years as one of the finest metropolitan orchestras in the U.S. Hailed as "the pride of Fairfax County," the orchestra has showcased the greatest works in the orchestral repertoire during its annual concert seasons and through many...
(of Fairfax
Fairfax, Virginia
The City of Fairfax is an independent city forming an enclave within the confines of Fairfax County, in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Although politically independent of the surrounding county, the City is nevertheless the county seat....
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, a suburb of Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
) and has been the recipient of four grants from The Barlow Endowment for Musical Composition
Barlow Endowment
The Barlow Endowment for Music Composition is a scholarship established in September 1983 through the generosity of Milton A. and Gloria Barlow. Motivated by their love of music, the Barlows presented a substantial gift to Brigham Young University, engendering and supporting excellence in musical...
. He has been commissioned by dozens of institutions including the American Choral Directors Association
American Choral Directors Association
The American Choral Directors Association , headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, is a non-profit organization with the stated purpose of promoting excellence in the field of choral music...
through their prestigious Raymond Brock Memorial series, and has had works première in the Concert Hall of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is a performing arts center located on the Potomac River, adjacent to the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C...
, the Salt Lake City Mormon Tabernacle
Salt Lake Tabernacle
The Salt Lake Tabernacle, also known as the Mormon Tabernacle, is located on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah along with the Salt Lake Assembly Hall and Salt Lake Temple.-History:...
, and Washington National Cathedral
Washington National Cathedral
The Washington National Cathedral, officially named the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, is a cathedral of the Episcopal Church located in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. Of neogothic design, it is the sixth-largest cathedral in the world, the second-largest in...
. His choral pieces have been performed and recorded by such eminent ensemble
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
s as The United States Air Force Singing Sergeants, the Gregg Smith Singers
Gregg Smith Singers
The Gregg Smith Singers is a mixed chorus from the United States, directed by Gregg Smith . The group, which comprises 16 singers, was founded at an all-Japanese Methodist church in West Los Angeles, California in 1955, while Smith was studying for his master's degree in music at the University of...
, the Turtle Creek Chorale
Turtle Creek Chorale
The Turtle Creek Chorale is an American men's chorus located in Dallas, Texas. With 38 CDs and two commercially produced, feature-length motion picture documentaries in public distribution, it is the most recorded men's chorus in the world....
, the Paul Hill Chorale, the American Boychoir, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Mormon Tabernacle Choir
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, sometimes colloquially referred to as MoTab, is a Grammy and Emmy Award winning, 360-member, all-volunteer choir. The choir is part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . However, the choir is completely self-funded, traveling and producing albums to...
, the Cathedral Choral Society
Cathedral Choral Society
The Cathedral Choral Society is a 200-voice symphonic chorus based at the Washington National Cathedral. J. Reilly Lewis has been music director since 1985. He succeeded Paul Callaway, who founded the group in 1941...
(of Washington National Cathedral
Washington National Cathedral
The Washington National Cathedral, officially named the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, is a cathedral of the Episcopal Church located in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. Of neogothic design, it is the sixth-largest cathedral in the world, the second-largest in...
), Thomas Circle Singers
Thomas Circle Singers
Thomas Circle Singers is an independent chamber chorus located in Washington DC. It donates concert ticket proceeds to nonprofit organizations...
, and hundreds of other groups in the U.S. and abroad.
In addition to his work as a composer, Gawthrop has been active as a broadcaster
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
, clinician and adjudicator
Adjudicator
An adjudicator is someone who presides, judges and arbitrates during a formal dispute. The term adjudicator essentially means a judge, without invoking the legal term. An ombudsman is a type of adjudicator in local government in the United Kingdom....
, organist
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
, conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
, teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, including a period as music critic for The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
. Gawthrop is a Life Member of the American Choral Directors Association
American Choral Directors Association
The American Choral Directors Association , headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, is a non-profit organization with the stated purpose of promoting excellence in the field of choral music...
, a member of The American Guild of Organists
American Guild of Organists
The American Guild of Organists, or AGO, is a national organization of academic, church, and concert organists in the U.S., headquartered in The Interchurch Center in New York City. It was founded in 1896 as both an educational and service organization...
, and a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia is an American collegiate social fraternity for men with a special interest in music...
, the music fraternity. Gawthrop currently serves on the Board of Advisors of the Barlow Endowment for Music Composition
Barlow Endowment
The Barlow Endowment for Music Composition is a scholarship established in September 1983 through the generosity of Milton A. and Gloria Barlow. Motivated by their love of music, the Barlows presented a substantial gift to Brigham Young University, engendering and supporting excellence in musical...
at Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
.
The bulk of his organ works have been recorded on two commercially available CDs. The first, "Exultate", is performed by Mary Mozelle on the Princeton University Chapel organ. The second disc, "Like a Fire", was performed by Dr. David Pickering on the Bales Recital Hall organ at the University of Kansas at Lawrence. Additional, more recent works remain unrecorded.