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Composer  

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Contemporary

 

Anthony di Sanza is a renowned percussionist and professor of music at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Born in 1967 in New York, di Sanza grew up in a musical family and began playing the drums at a young age. He later discovered his passion for percussion and pursued it as a career. Di Sanza received his Bachelor of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music in 1989, where he studied with John Beck. He then went on to earn his Master of Music degree from the University of Michigan in 1991, where he studied with Michael Udow. Di Sanza continued his studies at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, where he earned his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in 1996, studying with Allen Otte. Throughout his career, di Sanza has performed with numerous orchestras and ensembles, including the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, the Madison Symphony Orchestra, and the Percussion Group Cincinnati. He has also performed as a soloist and chamber musician throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia. One of di Sanza's most notable performances was his solo performance at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention in 1995, where he premiered Michael Udow's "The Last Judgment" for solo marimba. The performance was met with critical acclaim and helped establish di Sanza as a leading percussionist in the field. Di Sanza has also been recognized for his contributions to the field of percussion education. In 2002, he received the Excellence in Teaching Award from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music. He has also served as a faculty member at numerous summer music festivals, including the Interlochen Arts Camp, the Chautauqua Institution, and the Brevard Music Center. In addition to his performing and teaching career, di Sanza is also an active composer and arranger. He has written numerous works for percussion, including "The Dance of the Drums" for percussion ensemble and "The Last Breath" for solo marimba. His arrangements of works by composers such as J.S. Bach and Claude Debussy have also been performed by ensembles around the world. Di Sanza's contributions to the field of percussion have been recognized with numerous awards and honors. In 2007, he was awarded the Wisconsin Arts Board Fellowship in Music Composition. He has also been a recipient of the Percussive Arts Society's International Composition Contest and the ASCAP Foundation Morton Gould Young Composer Award. Today, di Sanza continues to perform, teach, and compose. He is a sought-after clinician and guest artist, and his recordings and compositions are widely performed and recorded. His dedication to the art of percussion has helped establish him as one of the leading percussionists and educators of his generation.

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