Dan Cavanagh is the Assistant Director of Jazz Studies and an Assistant Professor of Music at the University of Texas at Arlington. In November 2008, OA2 Records released his first big band album, entitled Pulse. He has garnered numerous awards for his jazz compositions, including a 2006 First Music Commission from the New York Youth Symphony Jazz Band Classic program, Honorable Mention in the 2007 Gil Evans Commissioning Program, Featured Performance at the 2006 International Jazz Composers’ Symposium, Finalist in the 2002, 2005, and 2007 ASCAP Young Jazz Composers competitions, and several ASCAPLUS awards. His music continues to be performed across the country and internationally, and he has received commissions from a wide range of groups across North America, including Simpson College (Iowa), the New Mexico All-State Jazz Ensemble, the Nova Jazz Orchestra (Minnesota), the Westwinds Jazz Orchestra (Calgary, AB), The University of Oregon, Virginia Tech University, the University of Texas at Arlington, the Nova Jazz Orchestra (St. Paul, MN) and various high school and middle school groups. His music for big band is published by Walrus Music and UNC Jazz Press.
Cavanagh has played frequently with (as pianist) and has composed for the Fort Worth Jazz Orchestra, led by drummer Adonis Rose. He leads a piano trio, complemented by bassist Brian Mulholland and drummer Stockton Helbing. He also leads a sextet called “Outburst” that performs his original compositions. In addition to his teaching at the university, he works as a freelance jazz pianist and composer in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.
Cavanagh is active as a clinician and adjudicator in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, and has appeared as a guest artist or conductor with several groups in the area.
He received a Master's of Music degree in Jazz Studies/Composition from the University of Oregon, and was awarded the Outstanding Graduate Student in Jazz Studies award upon graduation. While there, he studied jazz composition with Steve Owen. Prior to graduate school, he worked for MakeMusic!, Inc, makers of Finale notation software. He received his undergraduate degree in Theory/Composition from St. Olaf College, where he studied jazz with Dave Hagedorn and theory/composition with Timothy Mahr, Mary Ellen Childs, Peter Hamlin, and Charles Forsberg.
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