Official YouTube site for contemporary classical composer David Gaines

The American composer DAVID GAINES (b. 1961) has been hailed by a wide variety of critics and other artists around the world for his imaginative orchestrations, the international flavor of his music, and his exploration of new sonorities:

-- "a captivating performance....a milestone in the canon of symphonic band literature." (Washington Post)

-- "colorful percussion writing....Gaines demonstrates a keen affinity for orchestration. Woodwinds and brass are vividly exploited; percussion applied with as much subtlety as power." (Baltimore Sun)

-- "I cannot imagine a more powerful mix of words, images, and music....People who know nothing of Massoud or Afghanistan will be stunned by the sheer power of the composition, and people who are familiar with these topics will be reduced to tears....a tremendous piece of work." (Sebastian Junger, author, "The Perfect Storm," "A Death In Belmont," "Fire"

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David Gaines grew up in Stamford, Connecticut and was a euphonium and bass trombone player in both bands and orchestras (he was principal euphonium of the Connecticut All-State Band for two years), a background that enabled him in later years, as a composer, to champion solo opportunities for low brass instruments. His output includes two symphonies, two euphonium concertos, a baritone saxophone concerto, plus a wide variety of chamber, choral, and electronic music. His principal compositions are available on compact discs and digital downloads from MMC Recordings and Verda Stelo Music and are published by Verda Stelo Music. Radio stations across the USA, as well as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and internet music streaming sites, have broadcast these recordings.

A graduate of Northwestern University, American University, and Johns Hopkins University's Peabody Conservatory of Music (where he earned a doctoral degree in composition), Dr. Gaines' teachers included M. William Karlins, Stephen Syverud, Jerzy Sapieyevski, Jean Eichelberger Ivey, and Robert Sirota. He counts among his major influences Aaron Copland, Paul Hindemith, Alan Hovhaness, Lou Harrison, and Ellen Taaffe Zwilich.

A composer member of ASCAP and the American Music Center, his most recent composition is "and dispel the miseries of the world", a concerto for baritone saxophone and chamber orchestra (for the Seattle saxophonist James DeJoie), which was recorded in May 2008 by the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra under the direction of principal guest conductor Kirk Trevor. This recording will appear on a chamber music CD release in 2009 on the MMC
Recordings label.

Dr. Gaines' current projects include a sonata for flute and piano for FluteWorld.com and a concerto for trombone/euphonium and orchestra for Robert Kozánek (principal trombonist, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra) to be featured as part of the 60th anniversary celebration in September 2009 of the P.J.Vejvanovský Conservatory in Kroměříž, Czech Republic.

David Gaines resides in Rockville, Maryland, USA.