Steven Dann (born December 27, 1953) is a

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

violist ; german: Bratsche , alt=Viola shown from the front and the side , image=Bratsche.jpg , caption= , background=string , hornbostel_sachs=321.322-71 , hornbostel_sachs_desc=Composite chordophone sounded by a bow , range= , related= *Violin family ...

Early years

Dann was born in

Burnaby Burnaby is a city in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada. Located in the centre of the Burrard Peninsula, it neighbours the City of Vancouver to the west, the District of North Vancouver across the confluence of the Burrard I ...

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

. He played the violin until 1970, when he switched to the viola. He began studying with Lorand Fenyves in

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

in 1972, and continued his studies until he graduated from the

University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution ...

in 1977. During this time, he also studied with

Robert Pikler Robert Pikler OBE (24 January 190916 January 1984) was a Hungarian-Australian violinist, violist and teacher. Biography Pikler received his musical training in his native Budapest, first under Eugene Ormandy, then at the Franz Liszt Academy of ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

, as well as

William Primrose William Primrose CBE (23 August 19041 May 1982) was a Scottish violist and teacher. He performed with the London String Quartet from 1930 to 1935. He then joined the NBC Symphony Orchestra where he formed the Primrose Quartet. He performed in ...

and Bruno Giuranna. Dann has held the position of principal viola with a number of orchestras, including the

National Arts Centre Orchestra The National Arts Centre Orchestra (NAC Orchestra) is a Canadian orchestra based in Ottawa, Ontario led by music director Alexander Shelley. The NAC Orchestra's primary concert venue is Southam Hall at the National Arts Centre. Since its incepti ...

, the

Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra ( nl, Koninklĳk Concertgebouworkest, ) is a Dutch symphony orchestra, based at the Amsterdam Royal Concertgebouw (concert hall). Considered one of the world's leading orchestras, Queen Beatrix conferred the " ...

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...

, the

Vancouver Symphony Orchestra The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (VSO) is a Canadian orchestra based in Vancouver, British Columbia. The VSO performs at the Orpheum, which has been the orchestra's permanent home since 1977. With an annual operating budget of $16 million, it is ...

, and the

Toronto Symphony Orchestra The Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) is a Canadian orchestra based in Toronto, Ontario. Founded in 1906, the TSO gave regular concerts at Massey Hall until 1982, and since then has performed at Roy Thomson Hall. The TSO also manages the Toronto ...

. As soloist, Dann has performed concerti with several orchestras, as well as with conductors

Vladimir Ashkenazy Vladimir Davidovich Ashkenazy (russian: Влади́мир Дави́дович Ашкена́зи, ''Vladimir Davidovich Ashkenazi''; born 6 July 1937) is an internationally recognized solo pianist, chamber music performer, and conductor. He ...

, Sir

John Eliot Gardiner Sir John Eliot Gardiner (born 20 April 1943) is an English conductor, particularly known for his performances of the works of Johann Sebastian Bach. Life and career Born in Fontmell Magna, Dorset, son of Rolf Gardiner and Marabel Hodgkin, Gard ...

Ricardo del Carmen Fortuny and Andrew Davis. He has also commissioned concerti and chamber works from a number of composers, notably

Alexina Louie Alexina Diane Louie, (born July 30, 1949) is a Canadian composer of contemporary art music. She has composed for various instrumental and vocal combinations in a variety of genres. She has fulfilled a number of commissions, and her works, whic ...

Christos Hatzis Christos Hatzis ( el, Χρήστος Χατζής; born 1953) is a Juno Award-winning Greek-Canadian composer. Many of his compositions are performed internationally, and he is a professor at the Faculty of Music, University of Toronto. Early ...

and

Kaija Saariaho Kaija Anneli Saariaho (; ; born 14 October 1952) is a Finnish composer based in Paris, France. During the course of her career, Saariaho has received commissions from the Lincoln Center for the Kronos Quartet and from IRCAM for the Ensemble Inter ...

. He is a noted chamber musician as well as a member of the Axelrod Quartet and the Smithsonian Chamber Players, both based in

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

Discography

Viola music

* ''

Brahms Johannes Brahms (; 7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, pianist, and conductor of the mid-Romantic period. Born in Hamburg into a Lutheran family, he spent much of his professional life in Vienna. He is sometimes grouped with ...

Viola Works''; Steven Dann (viola); Lambert Orkis (piano); Susan Platts (mezzo-soprano); ATMA Classique ACD2 2350 (2006) :: Sonata No.1 in F minor for viola and piano, Op.120 No.1 (1894) :: Sonata No.2 in E major for viola and piano, Op.120 No.2 (1894) :: ''2 Gesänge'' (2 Songs) for alto, viola and piano, Op.91 (1884) * ''De Bréville • Koechlin • Tournemire: Sonatas & Suite''; Steven Dann (viola); James Parker (piano); ATMA Classique ACD2 2519 (2013) ::

Pierre de Bréville Pierre Eugène Onfroy de Bréville (21 February 1861 – 24 September 1949) was a French composer. Biography Pierre de Bréville was born in Bar-le-Duc, Meuse (department), Meuse. Following the wishes of his parents, he studied law with the goal ...

– Sonata for viola and piano (1944) :: Charles Koechlin – Sonata for viola and piano, Op. 53 (1911–1913) ::

Charles Tournemire Charles Arnould Tournemire (22 January 1870 – 3 or 4 November 1939) was a French composer and organist, notable partly for his improvisations, which were often rooted in the music of Gregorian chant. His compositions include eight symphoni ...

– ''Suite en trois parties'' (Suite in Three Parts) for viola and piano, Op. 11 (1897) * ''Portrait of the Viola''; Steven Dann (viola); Bruce Vogt (piano); Musica Viva MVCD1072 (1994) :: Rebecca Clarke – Sonata for viola and piano (1919) ::

Arnold Bax Sir Arnold Edward Trevor Bax, (8 November 1883 – 3 October 1953) was an English composer, poet, and author. His prolific output includes songs, choral music, chamber pieces, and solo piano works, but he is best known for his orchestral musi ...

– ''Legend'' for viola and piano (1929) ::

Igor Stravinsky Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky (6 April 1971) was a Russian composer, pianist and conductor, later of French (from 1934) and American (from 1945) citizenship. He is widely considered one of the most important and influential composers of the ...

– ''Élégie'' for viola solo (1944) ::

Ralph Vaughan Williams Ralph Vaughan Williams, (; 12 October 1872– 26 August 1958) was an English composer. His works include operas, ballets, chamber music, secular and religious vocal pieces and orchestral compositions including nine symphonies, written over ...

– ''Romance'' for viola and piano (c.1914) ::

Hermann Reutter Hermann Reutter (; 17 June 19001 January 1985) was a German composer and pianist who worked as an academic teacher, university administrator, recitalist, and accompanist. He composed several operas, orchestral works, and chamber music, and especi ...

– ''Cinco Caprichos sobre Cervantes'' (5 Caprices on Cervantes) for viola solo (1968) ::

Jean Coulthard Jean Coulthard, (February 10, 1908 – March 9, 2000) was a Canadian composer and music educator. She was one of a trio of women composers who dominated Western Canadian music in the twentieth century: Coulthard, Barbara Pentland, and Violet ...

– ''Sonata Rhapsody'' for viola and piano (1962) *

Michael Conway Baker Michael Conway Baker (born March 13, 1937) is a Canadian composer and music educator of American birth. He became a naturalized Canadian citizen in 1970 and has lived more or less continuously in the Vancouver area since. Life and career Baker wa ...

– ''Counterplay'' for viola and string orchestra, Op.16 (1971); Steven Dann (viola);

Kazuyoshi Akiyama is a Japanese conductor. Biography Born into a musical family, he studied piano at the Toho Gakuen School of Music, but was fascinated by the conducting activities of a fellow student, Seiji Ozawa. He decided to study conducting with Hideo S ...

(conductor);

CBC Vancouver Orchestra The CBC Radio Orchestra was a Canadian orchestra based in Vancouver, British Columbia, that was operated by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Until the early 1980s CBC had a number of orchestras located in Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal, and Hal ...

; CBC Music (2001) *

Paul Ben-Haim Paul Ben-Haim (or Paul Ben-Chaim, Hebrew: פאול בן חיים) (5 July 1897 – 14 January 1984) was an Israeli composer. Born Paul Frankenburger in Munich, Germany, he studied composition with Friedrich Klose and he was assistant conductor t ...

– ''2 Landscapes'' (שתי תמונות נוף) for viola and piano, Op. 27 (1939); Steven Dann (viola); Dianne Werner (piano); Chandos Records 10769 (2013) *

Luciano Berio Luciano Berio (24 October 1925 – 27 May 2003) was an Italian composer noted for his experimental work (in particular his 1968 composition ''Sinfonia'' and his series of virtuosic solo pieces titled ''Sequenza''), and for his pioneering work ...

– ''Sequenza VI'' for viola solo (1967); Steven Dann (viola); Naxos 8.557661-63 (2006) * Giovanni Battista Borghi – Sonata No.1 in D major for viola and double bass; Steven Dann (viola);

Joel Quarrington Joel Quarrington (born January 15, 1955) is a Canadian double bass player, soloist and teacher. He is the former Principal Double Bass of the London Symphony Orchestra. Career He was born in Toronto, Ontario, and began playing the double bass at ...

(double bass); CBC Records 1108 (1999) *

– ''The Mega4 Meta4'' for viola and tape (1990); Steven Dann (viola); Centrediscs (1994) *

– ''Winter Music'', Chamber Concerto for viola and 11 instruments (1989); Steven Dann (viola); Owen Underhill (conductor); Vancouver New Music Ensemble; CBC Music (2001) * Godfrey Ridout – ''Ballade'' for viola and string orchestra (1938); Steven Dann (viola);

Victor Feldbrill Victor Feldbrill, (April 4, 1924 – June 17, 2020) was a Canadian conductor and violinist. Early life and education Feldbrill was born in Toronto,Toronto Symphony Orchestra The Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) is a Canadian orchestra based in Toronto, Ontario. Founded in 1906, the TSO gave regular concerts at Massey Hall until 1982, and since then has performed at Roy Thomson Hall. The TSO also manages the Toronto ...

; Centrediscs (1993) *

Julius Röntgen Julius Engelbert Röntgen (9 May 1855 – 13 September 1932) was a German-Dutch composer of classical music. He was a friend of Liszt, Brahms and Grieg. Life Julius Röntgen was born in Leipzig, Germany, to a family of musicians. His father, ...

– Sonata in C minor for viola and piano (1924); Steven Dann (viola); Dianne Werner (piano); RCA Red Seal 88697-15837-2 (2007) *

John Weinzweig John Jacob Weinzweig, (March 11, 1913 – August 24, 2006) was a Canadian composer of classical music. Weinzweig was born in Toronto. He went to Harbord Collegiate Institute, and studied music at the university. In 1937, he left for the United St ...

– ''Tremologue'' for viola solo (1987); Steven Dann (viola); Centrediscs 5295 (1995)

Chamber music

* ''Chamber Suite: Catherine Wilson and Friends''; DoReMi (2008) ::

Felix Mendelssohn Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (3 February 18094 November 1847), born and widely known as Felix Mendelssohn, was a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of the early Romantic period. Mendelssohn's compositions include sy ...

– Sextet in D Major for piano and strings, Op. 110 (1824); Catherine Wilson, Marie Bérard, Steven Dann, Max Mandel, David Hetherington,

:: Srul Irving Glick – ''The Old Toronter Klezmer Suite'', Quintet for piano and strings (1998); Catherine Wilson, Marie Bérard, Steven Dann, David Hetherington,

* ''Musique de Chambre Française''; Susan Hoeppner (flute); Annalee Patipatanakoon (clarinet);

Erika Raum Erika Raum is a Canadian violinist. Biography Raum began playing professionally at age 12. She took first place at the 1992 Joseph Szigeti International Violin Competition in Budapest as well as the award for best interpretation of a Mozart co ...

(violin); Joaquin Valdepenas (violin); Steven Dann (viola);

Amanda Forsyth Amanda Forsyth (born 12 October 1966) is a Canadian cellist and the former principal cellist of the National Arts Centre Orchestra. Biography Daughter of composer Malcolm Forsyth, Forsyth came to Canada from South Africa at age 2 and began pla ...

(cello);

Judy Loman Judy Loman (born 3 November 1936) is a harpist and harp teacher, born and educated in the United States and active in Canada. She was the principal harp of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra from 1959 until her retirement in 1991, and won a Juno aw ...

(harp); Marquis Music (2005) ::

Claude Debussy (Achille) Claude Debussy (; 22 August 1862 – 25 March 1918) was a French composer. He is sometimes seen as the first Impressionist composer, although he vigorously rejected the term. He was among the most influential composers of the ...

– ''Sonate en trio'' for flute, viola and harp, L.137 (1915) ::

Maurice Ravel Joseph Maurice Ravel (7 March 1875 – 28 December 1937) was a French composer, pianist and conductor. He is often associated with Impressionism along with his elder contemporary Claude Debussy, although both composers rejected the term. In ...

– ''Introduction et Allegro'' for harp, flute, clarinet and string quartet (1905) ::

Albert Roussel Albert Charles Paul Marie Roussel (; 5 April 1869 – 23 August 1937) was a French composer. He spent seven years as a midshipman, turned to music as an adult, and became one of the most prominent French composers of the interwar period. His ...

– ''Sérénade'' for flute, violin, viola, cello and harp, Op.30 (1925) ::

André Jolivet André Jolivet (; 8 August 1905 – 20 December 1974) was a French composer. Known for his devotion to French culture and musical thought, Jolivet drew on his interest in acoustics and atonality, as well as both ancient and modern musical influe ...

– ''Chant de Linos'' for flute, violin, viola, cello and harp (1944) *

Tālivaldis Ķeniņš Tālivaldis Ķeniņš (April 22, 1919 in Liepāja – January 20, 2008 in Toronto)Tali ...

– Piano Quartet No.2; Paul Meyer (violin); Steven Dann (viola); David Hetherington (cello), William Aide (piano); Centrediscs (1997) * ''

Mendelssohn Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (3 February 18094 November 1847), born and widely known as Felix Mendelssohn, was a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of the early Romantic music, Romantic period. Mendelssohn's compositi ...

: Requiem für Fanny''; Quatour Alcan;

ATMA Classique ATMA Classique is a Canadian record label based in Montreal, Quebec. Founded in 1994 by Johanne Goyette, the company has close to 600 titles in its catalogue and distributes in over 25 countries and on the internet. Several recordings released ...

(2007) :: String Quartet No.6 ''"Requiem für Fanny"'' in F minor, Op.80 (1847) :: ''Four Pieces'' for string quartet, Op.81 :: String Quintet No.2 in B major, Op.87 (1845) * ''Mendelssohn • Gade: Octets for Strings''; Smithsonian Chamber Players; Sony Classical (1992) :: Felix Mendelssohn – String Octet in E major, Op.20 (1825) ::

Niels Gade Niels Wilhelm Gade (22 February 1817 – 21 December 1890) was a Danish composer, conductor, violinist, organist and teacher. Together with Johan Peter Emilius Hartmann, he was the leading Danish musician of his day. Biography Gade was born ...

– String Octet in F major, Op.17 (1849) * ''Right through the Bone:

Chamber Music''; ARC Ensemble; RCA Red Seal 88697-15837-2 (2007) :: Piano Quintet in A minor, Op.100 (1927) :: Trio in E major for clarinet, viola and piano (1921) :: Sonata in C minor for viola and piano (1924) :: String Sextet in G major (1931) *

– ''Je sens un deuxième coeur'' for viola, cello and piano (2003); Steven Dann (viola); Anssi Karttunen (cello), Tuija Hakkila (piano); Ondine 1189-2 (2012) *

Franz Schubert Franz Peter Schubert (; 31 January 179719 November 1828) was an Austrian composer of the late Classical and early Romantic eras. Despite his short lifetime, Schubert left behind a vast ''oeuvre'', including more than 600 secular vocal wor ...

– Quintet in C major for 2 violins, viola and 2 cellos, D.956; Smithsonian Chamber Players; Sony Classical (1991) * ''

Louis Spohr Louis Spohr (, 5 April 178422 October 1859), baptized Ludewig Spohr, later often in the modern German form of the name Ludwig, was a German composer, violinist and conductor. Highly regarded during his lifetime, Spohr composed ten symphonies, t ...

: Octet, Sextet, Quintet''; Smithsonian Chamber Players; Sony Classical (1993) :: Double String Quartet No.1 in D minor, Op.65 :: String Sextet in C major, Op.140 :: String Quintet No.2 in G major ''"Grande Quintetto"'', Op.33 No.2 *

Tōru Takemitsu was a Japanese composer and writer on aesthetics and music theory. Largely self-taught, Takemitsu was admired for the subtle manipulation of instrumental and orchestral timbre. He is known for combining elements of oriental and occidental phil ...

– ''And Then I Knew 'Twas Wind'' for flute, viola and harp (1992); Robert Aitken (flute); Steven Dann (viola); Erica Goodman (harp); Naxos (2003) *

Mieczysław Weinberg Mieczysław Weinberg (8 December 1919 – 26 February 1996) was a Polish-born Soviet composer and pianist. Names Much confusion has been caused by different renditions of the composer's names. In official Polish documents made before he mov ...

– Piano Quintet, Op.18 (1944); ARC Ensemble; RCA Red Seal (2006)

References

External links

Steven Dann official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dann, Steven 1953 births Canadian classical violists Musicians from British Columbia People from Washington, D.C. University of Toronto alumni Living people