Born in Los Angeles in 1946, composer-conductor-flutist Daniel Kessner received his Ph.D. with Distinction at UCLA in 1971, studying with Henri Lazarof. His more than 160 compositions have received over 800 performances worldwide, and 28 works are recorded commercially. His scores are available from Theodore Front Musical Literature at www.tfront.com. Kessner’s most important awards include the 1972 Queen Marie-José International Composition Prize in Geneva, a 2003 Fulbright Senior Scholar Award to lecture and perform at the Musikhochschule in Trossingen, Germany, a Fulbright Senior Specialist Grant to perform and lecture in Trondheim, Norway in 2007, and a similar residency at the Universidade do Minho in Portugal in 2011. He is Professor Emeritus at California State University, Northridge, retired after a career of 36 years teaching composition, music theory, and directing various ensembles.

As a performer, he has given flute-piano recitals with his wife, Dolly Eugenio Kessner, in France, Italy, Holland, Germany, El Salvador, England, Romania, Portugal, Norway, and the Czech Republic, and has performed in numerous chamber music concerts. He has appeared as guest conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic New Music Group, the Black Sea Philharmonic of Romania, the Moorpark Symphony Orchestra, the Trondheim Sinfonietta, and the Professional Orchestra of the Universidade do Minho, Portugal, among others. Personal Website: http://daniel.kessnerfamily.org