Daniel Thrower, Trumpet
Dr. Daniel N. Thrower currently serves as adjunct professor of trumpet at UTSA, beginning in the fall of 2009. He received his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in trumpet performance from Arizona State University in 2007. His Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees were earned from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.
In 2007-2009 Dr. Thrower served as an adjunct professor of music at three institutions of higher education: Brigham Young University, Utah Valley University, and the College of Eastern Utah. He continues teaching online music courses for CEU. Previous to his doctoral studies he served as professor of music at Brigham Young University-Idaho in Rexburg, Idaho (adjunct 2003-04, full-time 2004-05), where he played with the Faculty Brass Quintet and the Faculty Jazz Ensemble. While in Idaho, Mr. Thrower played principal trumpet in the Idaho Falls Symphony and the Snake River Chamber Orchestra.
Besides UTSA and his CEU online courses, his current professional activities include maintaining a substantial private trumpet studio, giving music clinics to local middle and high schools, composing as opportunities arise, and freelancing throughout the San Antonio area (including as a sub with the San Antonio Symphony and principal trumpet with the San Antonio Symphonic Band). Some previous career highlights include playing principal trumpet for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games Closing Ceremony, touring Russia and neighboring countries on three separate occasions (with a jazz band, an orchestra, and a concert band), soloing with a touring orchestra to the Great Lakes states, and founding and directing “The Utah Trumpet Guild.” He has shared the stage with such performers as Harry Connick, Jr., Kiss, Christina Aguilera, Bon Jovi, Mike Vax, Allen Vizzutti, David Hickman, the Childs Brothers, and many others. Thrower can be heard on a dozen commercially-released CDs and DVDs, including the motion picture “Shadow of Light,” which won a regional Emmy in 2004.
Although his three college degrees are in trumpet performance and pedagogy, composition has accompanied his entire career. Dr. Thrower is an internationally award-winning composer with more than 30 premiers, 15 commissions, and a number of publications with several reputable publishers. Not limited to any particular genre, his compositions include full symphony orchestra, concert band, film score, choir, brass quintet, recorder ensemble, trumpet choir, and many others. His music has been performed as far away as Latvia and at such conventions as the International Trumpet Guild Conference. Positive music reviews appear in leading scholarly journals.
Dr. Thrower is happily married to Eden, and they are the parents of five wonderful children. He loves studying religion, the sciences, and history.