Profile
Classical and electric guitarist, composer and improviser, Dan Cosley travels a multifaceted career path. Cosley's work includes recordings, performances and compositions in a wide variety of contexts. Recent concerts include the première of his Concerto for Guitar, solo concerts in Italy by invitation of the Rome Festival, the world première of Roland Dyens’ Soleils Levants, and numerous concerts in Japan.
Born in the United States in 1979, Cosley began as an electric guitarist. A precocious improviser, Cosley was soon drawn to jazz and free-improvisation. His academic pursuit of music led to the completion of a Master’s degree in classical guitar performance from the University of Denver where he studied guitar and composition with Ricardo Iznaola and served as Iznaola's teaching assistant. He has also participated in numerous masterclasses including those of Juilliard composition department chair, Samuel Adler, and renowned cellist Alban Gerhardt.
From 2006 to 2011, Cosley was active as a performer, teacher and composer in Tokyo, Japan. In 2010, Cosley was the third non-Japanese composer (along with Andrew York and Roland Dyens) to receive the prestigious commission for the Japan Guitar Ensemble Association's annual gala concert. Shortly thereafter, he was the first foreign-born guitarist in history elected to the Japan Guitar Ensemble Association's board of directors. His role as director included recording, arranging music, and writing articles for Asia's leading guitar publisher and magazine, Gendai Guitar. He has also served as a competition judge in various festivals in Japan. He speaks fluent Japanese.
After the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami of March 2011, Cosley relocated from Tokyo to Portland, Oregon. He continues his work in classical music performance and composition while pursuing a variety of collaborations in other, improvisational styles. A committed teacher, Dan runs Northwest Portland Guitar Lessons and is an instructor of guitar at Portland Community College.
Dan's compositions and arrangements are available worldwide through Canadian publisher Les Productions d'OZ and Japanese publisher Gendai Guitar.
Performance Highlights
- World première of Waltz Triptych with Ensemble Oz. (Tokyo, Japan 2010)
- World première of Atanas Ourkouzounov's The Red Elf's Tale with Tokyo M Group and the composer as conductor. (Yamagata, Japan 2010)
- World première of Roland Dyens' Soleils Levants with Ensemble OZ and the composer as conductor. (Tokyo, 2008)
- Japan Guitar Ensemble Association Gala Concert (Concertmaster for Tokyo Guitar Ensemble, 2008)
- Solo Concerts (Fukuoka, Japan, 2007)
- Up Close Avant, (Concert series organized by Creative Music Works, Denver, 2006)
- En Mis Palabras, an opera by Roger Ames (Premiered and toured with the Central City Opera, 2005-2006)
- Première of Concerto for Guitar (Denver, 2005)
- U.S.A première of Gilbert Biberian’s Rose Garden (Denver, 2005)
- Première of Jessica Mays’ Suite for Guitar (Denver, 2005)
- Lamont School of Music Concerto Competition Orchestral Performance, First Prize (Denver, Colorado 2004)
- Rome Festival (Solo concerts in Rome, Italy 2002)
Recordings
- Cloud-Hidden, Whereabouts Unknown, with percussionist Elliott Hasiuk (2011)
- Easy Pieces For Guitar Ensemble Vol. 2, World Famous Songs No. 1, with fellow members of the Japan Guitar Ensemble Association's board of directors. Released by Gendai Guitar (2011)
- Ensō, with guitarist Nathan Kolosko (2009)
- Midwestern Hieroglyphs V. 2, The Mandala Duo with violinist Steve Lovinger (2009)
- Midwestern Hieroglyphs V. 1, The Mandala Duo with violinist Steve Lovinger (2008)
- Scenes from Ellis Island, by Benjamin Verdery (Recording with Tokyo Guitar Ensemble, 2008)
- Circle Music, Solo electric guitar. (2007)
- The Mandelbrot Set, The Mandala Duo with violinist Steve Lovinger. (2006)
- Opus Zero, Opus Zero, Electric guitar and co-production on songwriter Seth Jeremy’s debut CD. (2005)
- Martin Luther King Jr. Suite, with guitarist-composer Nathan Kolosko. (2004)
- Middletown, Adam Beck, Guitars on all tracks. (2000)
- Seneca Cayson Studios, Session work with various artists. (2000- Present)
- Studio and live recordings with rock band Nat Love. (1996-2006)
Compositions and Publications
- Waltz Triptych: An Introduction, an article published by Gendai Guitar (May, 2011)
- Easy Pieces For Guitar Ensemble Vol. 2, World Famous Songs No. 1, with fellow members of the Japan Guitar Ensemble Association's board of directors. Released by Gendai Guitar (2011)
- Waltz Triptych for guitar quartet or guitar ensemble. Commissioned by the Guitar Ensemble Association of Japan. (2010) Publisher: Les Productions d'OZ
- Ensō for guitar duo (2009) Publisher: Les Productions d'OZ
- Water Strider for guitar quartet or guitar ensemble (2008) Publisher: Les Productions d'OZ
- Dark Match for oboe, clarinet and bassoon (2007)
- Etudes for Guitar (2006-2007)
- Concerto for Guitar (2005)
- Permanent Midnight II for guitar and flute (2004)
- Permanent Midnight for piano (2003)
- Green Sound for solo guitar (2001)
Education
- Master’s Degree in Classical Guitar Performance, University of Denver. (2005) Studied guitar primarily with Ricardo Iznaola, and also with Jonathan Leathwood and Masakazu Ito. Studied composition with William Hill.
- Composition studies with Samuel Adler (2005)
- Bachelor’s Degree in Music, Clarke University. (2002) Studied guitar with Jaime Guiscafré and composition with Amy Dunker.
- Master classes with many artists including cellist Alban Gerhardt. (1999-2005)
Awards / Associations
- 2010 Elected to the board of directors for the Guitar Ensemble Association of Japan
- 2005 Ricardo Iznaola Scholarship
- 2005 Graduate Recital of Distinction (Lamont School)
- 2005 Awarded lifetime membership to Pi Kappa Lambda
- 2003-2004 Lamont Conservatory Concerto Competition, First Prize Winner
- 2002 Walter & Kathryn Dunham Fine Arts Award
- 2002 Virginia Gaume Music Award for Excellence in Performance
- 2002 Eliza Kelly Music Award for Academic Excellence
- Won international audition and scholarship for participation in Rome Festival 2002
- Composed and performed soundtrack for the film Destination, winner in the 1997 Iowa Film Festival