Composer of the Day!

Today’s composer of the day is Daniel Pinkham.

(1923-2006)

He was a harpsichordist. He was a musicologist. He was even a teacher. Most importantly, he was a composer. He was very prolific, winning all kinds of awards, including the Alfred Nash Patterson Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award.

Lenny Bernstein once conducted one of Dan’s orchestral pieces with the New York Philharmonic.

Also, I had a class with him. On the first day, there was a shy girl sitting in the corner. Dan said to her, “C’mon, get a little closer. I don’t bite... unless you ask me to.”

Unfortunately, he recently died of chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

His music is fun and quirky. And sometimes his music is religousy—he was an organist, too.

You should listen to his music.
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