Dr. David McDonnell
e-mail: david.b.k.mcdonnell@gmail.com
davidmcdonnellmusic.com
EDUCATION
2012 DMA (Music Composition)
College Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati
Principle Teachers: Joel Hoffman, Mara Helmuth
Dissertation: An Uncertain Machine for Chamber Orchestra
Cognate: Computer Music Programming and Psychoacoustics
2009 MM (Music Composition)
DePaul University School of Music, Chicago, IL
Principle Teachers: Kurt Westerberg, Juan Campoverde
Thesis: The Use of Net-Structure in Ligeti’s Chamber Concerto
1999 BM (Music Composition)
DePaul University School of Music, Chicago, IL
Principle Teachers: George Flynn, Kurt Westerberg
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
2012- Adjunct Instructor of Music
University of Dayton, College of Arts and Sciences
-Intro to Music Technology
-Recording Arts and Digital Media
-Fundamentals of Arranging
-Director: Dayton Lab Flyers Big Band
-Private Lessons: Jazz Saxophone and Composition
2009- Adjunct Instructor of Music and General Studies
University of Cincinnati-College Conservatory of Music
-Experimental Rock
-Progressive Rock
-Jammin’with Laptops
2010-2012
University of Cincinnati-College Conservatory of Music
-Applied Composition
2007-2009
DePaul University School of Music
Music Theory Tutor
1999-2009
Chicago and Chicago Suburbs
Private Saxophone and Clarinet Instruction-Jazz and Classical
SELECTED COMPOSITIONS AND PERFORMANCES
2014
the dragon and the griffin – album of original jazz and chamber compositions.
Released May 13th on New Atlantis Records.
2013
Spectrum of Error for Computer and Gamelan Sounds – Nov. 24th, University of Dayton.
Æpse for solo Cello and Computer – Nov. 14th, Constellation, Chicago, IL.
In a Clearing for Trombone, Vibraphone, Electric Bass and Computer – Feb. 16th,
California Institute of the Arts, Valencia, CA.
2012
the dragon and the griffin for String Quartet – Recorded by Quartet Parapluie, November, Chicago, IL.
Triangulum II for solo Vibraphone – May, doctoral recital at CCM, Cincinnati, OH.
East of Autumn for Viola and Piano – May, doctoral recital at CCM, Cincinnati, OH.
An Uncertain Machine –for String Quartet, Orchestral Winds and Brass, Percussion and Piano
– April, Café MoMus Ensemble, CCM, Cincinnati, OH.
2011
Rock Paper Scissors for solo Soprano Saxophone and Computer
– November, N SEME, Peabody Conservatory, Baltimore, MD.
Islands in a Sea of Light for flute, Bb clarinet and piano
– June, Music 11 Festival, The Hindemith Centre, Blonay, Switzerland.
Blossom Hunter 2 for Trombone, 2 Double Basses, Marimba and Vibraphone
– March, California Institute of the Arts, Valencia, CA.
2010
Ratio of Atmosphere for Bb Clarinet, Viola and Piano
– October, Midwest Composers Symposium, CCM, Cincinnati, OH.
My Dinner with a Spectrogram an Audio/Video composition for Computer – May, CCM, Cincinnati, OH.
Looking at Wind for Orchestra – January, CCM, Cincinnati, OH.
2009
the time inside a year for Vibraphone and Piano – July, Elastic Arts, Chicago, IL.
5 pieces for Orchestra – May, DePaul University, Chicago, IL.
Song of Overtones for Computer – February, DePaul University, Chicago, IL.
2008
Viola Solo for Stefan Wolpe – May, DePaul University, Chicago, IL.
SELECTED RECORDINGS
2014
Dave McDonnell Group: the dragon and the griffin
-New Atlantis Records
“…[McDonnell’s] snaking postbop tunes streamline ideas from African Funk and post-rock
…His writing combines corkscrewing lines and rhythmic ferocity…”
The Chicago Reader
2012
Diving Bell: Diving Bell
-Haze Label (Belarus)
“…an excellent album of improvisations of saxophone and laptop that uses
their inherent dichotomy to work together rather than display their opposition…”
Acts of Silence.com
2011
Herculaneum: UCHU
-Herculaneumsound.com
“…all-for-one sextet from Chicago scrambling aspects of postbop jazz, minimalism,
rock dissonance and West African rhythms.”
New York Times
2010
Herculaneum: Olives and Orchids
-Herculaneumsound.com
“… think of Charles Mingus, if he lived in the 21st Century.”
NPR’s All things Considered
2009
Herculaneum: Herculaneum III
-Clean Feed
“…David McDonnell’s alto sax can have a loose and outside sensibility, a bit like
some of Steve Coleman’s work.”
Cadence Magazine
2008
Icy Demons: Miami Ice
-Obey Your Brain
“Icy Demons may chug along to stoic kraut pulses and amorphous jazz jams, but
their sense of humor has always shone through.”
Pitchfork Media
2006
The Diminisher (David McDonnell solo project): Imaginary Volcano
-Unsound Records
“…engaging and gorgeously layered…a remarkably organic and unified whole.”
Time Out Chicago
Michael Columbia: Stay Hard
-Alabaster Records
“…delving deep into a loopy amalgam of avant-pop and rhythm-heavy krautrock.”
Time Out Chicago
Herculaneum: Orange Blossom
-482 Music
“…blazingly original … a rare entity: a new group that seemingly arrives from nowhere,
fully formed with its own sound… one of the finest albums by an
up-and-coming ensemble one is likely to hear this year.”
All About Jazz
2001
Bablicon: A Flat Inside a Fog, The Cat that was a Dog
–Misra Records
“Sprawling, audacious but always intriguing…”
Mojo Music Magazine
PROGRAMMING
Max6: Developed a pitch tracking, interactive program, which creates an
environment for instrumental improvisation , called “Rock, Paper, Scissors”.
RTCmix: Author computer music scores in the MINC programming language, which
explore psychoacoustic concepts and reproduce auditory hallucinations as
described by researchers such as Diana Deutsch and Roger Shepard.
C++: Developed an algorithm which searches through the Fibonacci Sequence and
identifies repeating patterns.
RECORDING
-Served as staff recording/mixing engineer at Shape Shoppe Recording Studio in Chicago from 2004 to 2007.
-Use and teach with and the following softwares:
Cubase
Digital Performer
Pro Tools
Logic Pro
SELECTED RECENT PERFORMANCES/PRESENTATIONS
2014
Strategies in Computer Generated Music
Presentation/Performance for the Visiting Artist Series
DePaul University School of Cinema and Interactive Media
Album Release show for the dragon and the griffin
The Comet, Cincinnati, OH.
Album Release show for the dragon and the griffin
The Hungry Brain, Chicago, IL.
RTcmix Festival
Guest Speaker: presented work modeling auditory hallucinations.
Cincinnati, OH.
2013
Athens Slingshot Music, Electronic Art and Tech Festival. with Diving Bell
Athens, GA.
2012
Diving Bell – Studio 300 Digital Art and Media Festival at Transylvania University
Herculaneum – New York Winter Jazz Festival and subsequent tour: in support of UCHU
E’s Circumstance – A Confessional tale for Soprano Saxophone and Chamber Orchestra
Composer: Dylan Sheridan
University of Cincinnati – College Conservatory of Music
Herculaneum – East Coast Tour: in support of Olives and Orchids
2010
Solo Electronic Music Recital and performance of original Jazz compositions
Elastic Arts Center, Chicago, Il.
2009
Michael Columbia – Pitchfork Music Festival
Chicago, Il.
RECENT AWARDS
2011
Music 11 Fellowship Award: An international new music festival held annually
in Blonay, Switzerland.
Served as Audio/Visual Engineer and Web Implementer.
2010-2012
Alexander Zemlinsky Graduate Assistant Scholarship
Served as Administrator for The Alexander Zemlinsky Composition Competition