Daniel Lamparter

Artist Statement

I am a musician and composer. My main instrument is the Guitar. I also have experience singing in choir and performing on piano. My main focus though is composing music. I compose instrumental music for soloists, small to moderately sized ensembles, and occasionally for full orchestra. I have studied both classical and modern music styles over the last decade of my life. The music I write is intended to hold value in the fine art practices of music, as well as be relevant to the lives of a contemporary audience.

When I set out to write a piece of music I often start with a broad idea of what I want. I begin to sketch themes, musical phrases, or unique harmonies that will define the piece and help me capture the essence of my initial vision. As I go on, I take a very analytical approach. I work meticulously on details, crafting intentional and creative interrelationships in to the music that increase the effectiveness and meaningful nature in the piece. Intertwined with this composition process is diligent research and study. Whether it is a text of a theory of music that I have just picked up, or a piece of literature relevant to the subject of the current project, this activity nourishes my creative abilities and sustains me between burst of inspiration so I can remain productive and progressive during the process of composition.

Currently, I have been experimenting with blending my contemporary training in Jazz with the traditional approaches to musical art. Classical music still has a niche following, but the people of the world have grown more complex emotionally and intellectually. The cities we have habituated to living in are in many ways beyond what people even a hundred years ago could have imagined. As well, music has gained new roles and functions with the advent of modern technology and high speed, world wide, communication. I believe that contemporary music styles such as Jazz, Blues, R&B, and Rock have flourished as they have in the last half of the Twentieth Century because they fit the experience of modern life and explain in ways that musician’s of the past could not possibly understand. From this point though, I still have reverence for the highly developed fine art principles that reigned for the last several hundred years before our time. One of the main goals in my music is to use the styles of contemporary music and craft with them the fine principles of art music.

Biography

Daniel Lamparter is a musician-composer and guitarist. In 2010 Daniel moved to Hollywood, California to pursue a career as a guitarist in Pop and Rock music. While gigging and doing minor session work for other artists, Daniel began studying Jazz and other contemporary styles on guitar at Musician’s Institute. It was during this time at MI that Dan’s talent for composition began to show. With the guidance and support from several of his instructors, Dan devoted his efforts to the study of composition and the development of his artistic portfolio.

After leaving Musician’s Institute, Dan began taking classes in Musicianship and Harmony at Santa Monica College. During his time at SMC, Dan became fascinated with the traditional styles of composition. Music from J.S. Bach to Mozart and Beethoven began to fill Dan’s playlists. He would sit on the buses and trains, traveling between school and home, with his ear buds in, following along to pocket-sized scores of his favorite classical pieces – and commuting to memory all the techniques and schemes that these role models provided.

This fascination developed into a near obsession with the study of music theory. Dan has studied and put to practice the theoretical principles set forth by some of the great composer of the Twentieth Century. Such composers include: Paul Hindemith, Ernst Toch, Arnold Schonberg, and Deryck Cooke. This love of early Twentieth Century Music has grown into a foundational element of Dan’s musical style and creative understanding. Dan has come to find an artistic kinship, as well as much inspiration, in the composers Maurice Ravel, Claude Debussy, Igor Stravinsky, Richard Wagner, Enrich Wolfgang Korngold, and Aaron Copland. In addition to this, he still holds and unyielding reverence for the Classical Masters Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven – as with a deep respect and gratitude for all the pioneers that have paved the way for the rich musical heritage leading up to the present day.

Since beginning down the path of the composer, Dan has produced a unique portfolio of original art music featuring his signature virtuosic style. His devotion to understanding the craft and development of musical art has resulted in a skill for creating music that is both rich in detail and pleasing to the ear. Further more, has learned to apply this technique to a variety of musical styles and genres. All Dan’s music, whatever the style or subject, contains a uniqueness all his own.

Most recently, Dan has begun to studying under the guidance of Berklee, School of Music in Composition for Film, TV, and Games. With in his first few months, Dan has already shown great promise in connecting his musical talents to the art of film. Further more, his own style has flourished and expanded in exciting new ways, helping him create new music unique to the Twenty-First Century.