top of page

DANIEL PERTTU

Composer

 

professional pic 1.jpg
CHECK OUT MY VIDEO BLOG:  
THE MUSE IN MUSIC

In this blog, I interview musicians about what inspires them to perform, compose, conduct, or do what they do in the profession of music.  Recent guests include Toshi Shimada, Nate Bachhuber, Andrew Crust, Jessica Satava, JoAnn Falletta, David Alan Miller, Brett Mitchell, David Fisk, Jesse Rosen, Lawrence Golan, Michael Torke, Mariusz Smolij, and others!

New Recording:  My Phoenix with London Symphony
P E R F O R M A N C E S   A N D   R E C O R D I N G S   B Y   O R C H E S T R A S

2024

Valor, Space Coast Symphony Orchestra (Florida)

Appalachian Vistas, world premiere, Western Piedmont Symphony           (North Carolina)

To Spring, Butler Philharmonic (Ohio)

Phoenix, Eastern Connecticut Symphony

To Spring, Perrysburg Symphony (Ohio)

Valor, world premiere, Butler Symphony (Pennsylvania)

The Guises of Love - A Cello Concerto, world premiere, Grand

       Junction Symphony (Colorado)

To Spring - An Overture, Rapides Symphony (Louisiana)

Nimuë and her Fairies - Clinton Symphony Orchestra (Iowa)

2023

A Planets Odyssey - Piano Concerto No. 2, Springfield Symphony               (Ohio)

Nimuë and her Fairies, Falcón Symphony (Venezuela)

Phoenix, Butler Philharmonic (Ohio)

Phoenix, Wheeling Symphony (West Virginia)

To Spring - An Overture, The Ohio Valley Symphony (Ohio)

To Spring - An Overture, Sierra Vista Symphony (Arizona)

2022

Phoenix - Recording - London Symphony Orchestra

A Planets Odyssey - Piano Concerto No. 2, Flagstaff Symphony         

       Orchestra (Arizona)

A Planets Odyssey - Piano Concerto No. 2, world premiere, Canton             Symphony (Ohio)

To Spring - An Overture, Greenville Symphony (Pennsylvania)

2021

Medicine Wheel, Subotička Filharmonija (Serbia)

Nimuë and her Fairies, Muscatine Symphony (Iowa)

Viola Concerto "Merlin," Perrysburg Symphony (Ohio)

Phoenix, Space Coast Symphony (Florida)

2020

To Spring - An Overture, Butler County Symphony (Pennsylvania;               canceled - Covid)

To Spring - An Overture, Sierra Vista Symphony (Arizona; canceled -         Covid)

Fox Valley Fanfare, Fox Valley Symphony (Wisconsin)

2019

Fanfare Acadienne, Acadiana Symphony (Louisiana)​

Piano Concerto No. 1 "Elvendream," Lakeland Civic Orchestra (Ohio)

Piano Concerto No. 1 "Elvendream," Oklahoma Composers' Orchestra

To Spring - An Overture, Falcón Symphony (Venezuela)

To Spring - An Overture, Niš Symphony Orchestra (Serbia)

Piano Concerto No. 1 "Elvendream," Orchestra Omaha (Nebraska)

To Spring - An Overture, Firelands Symphony (Ohio)

2017

To Spring - An Overture, Moravian Philharmonic (Czech Republic)

T E S T I M O N I A L S 

"I was drawn to Dan's music because of the clarity and vitality in his writing.  As we commissioned Appalachian Vistas, I knew this would be a unique piece that will hopefully find its way into the repertoire.  The way this work blends together folk melodies from the region in a new and modern orchestral setting is masterful, and the resounding support from our musicians and the audience rang out in applause following our world premiere performance!"

          Matthew Troy, Music Director and Conductor of the Western Piedmont Symphony (North Carolina)

"I've really enjoyed working on Dan's cello concerto, The Guises of Love, and thought it was very popular with the audiences at the world premiere.  It's just a wonderful piece of music, and I'm very much looking forward to performing it more!"

           Mark Kosower, Principal Cello of The Cleveland Orchestra

“This performance [of Dan's "A Planets Odyssey" Piano Concerto] was an enormous success! Thanks to Jeffrey Biegel for inviting Tammy Miller to perform the piece with us due to his unavailibility. The audience loved it, and its programmatic aspects made it a perfect fit for this program. This piece richly deserves the presence in the repertoire that it surely will command.”

            Peter Stafford Wilson, Music Director and Conductor of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra (Ohio)

"As far as I'm concerned, this work [Dan's "Planets Odyssey" Piano Concerto] should be part of the repertoire of young American pianists, and I hope it does become that."

            Gerhardt Zimmermann, Music Director and Conductor of the Canton Symphony Orchestra (Ohio)

"Dan Perttu is a wonderful composer whose music speaks to musicians and audiences alike!  I am so proud to consider myself a champion of his music, and I give him my highest recommendation without reservation.  Play his music!!"

            Scott Woodard, Music Director and Conductor of the Butler Philharmonic (Ohio)

"The Sierra Vista Symphony Orchestra performed Dan's "To Spring" in April, 2023. The piece was originally scheduled to be performed in April 2020 but it was postponed. I am so glad that we were able to perform the piece. The music was well received by the musicians and audiences, and it was truly an honor to have the composer at the pre-concert talk and the concert. (He flew from PA to AZ to come to the concert). The music really shows who he was in 2015 and his influences (Romantic composers, movie composers). An exciting and a wonderful concert opener."

            Toru Tagawa, Artistic Director and Conductor of the Sierra Vista Symphony (Arizona)

"Working with Dan was a breeze!  He was very attentive throughout his compositional process to the limitations and abilities of the musicians.  And his dedication goes beyond the music, as he personally made the very long drive to be at the premier of his composition. He was also very supportive with his rehearsal feedback and comments.  A delight to work with, and I’m looking forward to our next collaboration."

            Brian Dollinger, Music Director and Conductor, Muscatine Symphony Orchestra (Iowa)

""Dan is an excellent composer who creates works that are beautiful, exciting, and fresh.  He was a pleasure to work with from day one through the entire process of premiering his "Merlin" Viola Concerto. His score and parts were very clear and he was very open to suggestions and changes. He was also patient and understanding when the premiere was delayed twice due to COVID. I highly recommend him and his works!"

            Travis Jürgens, Music Director and Conductor, Perrysburg Symphony Orchestra (Ohio)

"The Acadiana Symphony Orchestra commissioned and performed several times during its anniversary 35th season the Acadian Fanfare especially composed for this occasion by Daniel Perttu. Both the audience and the musicians greatly enjoyed this very well crafted composition citing two traditional Acadian tunes in order to make a unique connection with the local musical culture. I have been very pleased with our collaboration and hope to perform other works by this composer in the future."

            Mariusz Smolij, Music Director and Conductor, Acadiana Symphony Orchestra (Louisiana)

"The Acadiana Symphony of Lafayette, Louisiana, conducted by Mariusz Smolij, is playing Fanfare Acadienne by Daniel Perttu at each of its subscription concerts this season. As the Principal Flutist, I really enjoy performing this work as it has such a wealth of variety of sound and texture.  There are beautiful sonorous chords that ring with “fanfare” as well as expressive woodwind solos and more technical virtuosic composition.  Each time, the audience has reacted very enthusiastically to this work as the program opener."

            Andrea Loewy, Principal Flute, Acadiana Symphony Orchestra (Louisiana)

"To Spring is a piece gifted with the rare quality of engaging its performers from the very outset of the work. Embedded in it is a unified poetry of sound and style. This piece invites the audience to journey through the variety of orchestra colors that this work offers. I enjoyed very much sharing the enthusiasm of performing To Spring with the wonderful musicians of the Falcon Symphony Orchestra." 

            Ruben Capriles, Music Director and Conductor, Falcon Symphony Orchestra (Venezuela)

"It is also my pleasure to welcome Daniel Perttu, marking the first time in my tenure with the FSO [Firelands Symphony Orchestra] that a living composer is present to hear a performance of his music.  Dan's 'To Spring' is filled with color and optimism and is a lovely harbinger of the approach of spring after a Northern Ohio winter" -- from Notes from the Podium.

Carl Topilow, Music Director and Conductor, Firelands Symphony Orchestra (Ohio)

"'To Spring' is a truly beautiful composition!  The FSO [Firelands Symphony Orchestra] was honored to perform your piece and have you and your family in the audience!  Thank you!"

Laurie Korobkin, Former Executive Director, Firelands Symphony Orchestra (Ohio)

To read more testimonials, click here.

S E L E C T E D    R E V I E W S    F O R    T O    S P R I N G  -  A N  O V E R T U R E    F O R    O R C H E S T R A

"Inspired by William Blake’s poetic ode, Daniel Perttu’s To Spring – An Overture is [a] majestic lyrical work." 

The Whole Note, Toronto, Ontario

"Although not thematically related to the music of Alan Hovhaness, [To Spring] evoked similar emotions as I listened, but Perttu uses more brass. It’s uplifting music."

Audiophile Audition

"Lyrical too is Daniel Perttu's To Spring – An Overture, which in its title alone exudes an air of Impressionism, even if it was inspired by the 1783 poetic ode of the same name by William Blake. Written in honour of his two daughters, the piece is Perttu's attempt to render into orchestral form their Spring-epitomizing spirits; certainly the music, a vivid, multi-hued scenepainting packed with orchestral detail feels like a blossoming, whether it be of youth or the natural world, and a triumphant one at that."  

Textura, Peterborough, Canada

bottom of page