Daniel E. Perttu

Dr. Daniel Perttu works as a Professor of Music Theory and Composition at Westminster College, where he also took his turn as the Chair of the School of Music from July, 2014, through June, 2022.  Although getting performances of new music by orchestras is challenging for living composers, his music has been performed by many professional orchestras on three continents. In addition, his chamber music has been performed on four continents and in over 40 of the United States.  His international credits include performances by the Niš Symphony Orchestra and Subotica Philharmonic (Serbia), the Falcón Symphony Orchestra (Venezuela), and recordings by the London Symphony Orchestra and the Moravian Philharmonic (Czech Republic). In the states, his recent orchestral credits include the Springfield Symphony (Ohio), Wheeling Symphony (WV), Butler Philharmonic (Ohio), Sierra Vista Symphony (Arizona),  Ohio Valley Symphony (Ohio), Flagstaff Symphony (Arizona), Canton Symphony Orchestra (Ohio), Greenville Symphony (PA), Muscatine Symphony (Iowa), Perrysburg Symphony (Ohio), Space Coast Symphony Orchestra (Florida), Firelands Symphony (Ohio), Fox Valley Symphony (Wisconsin), Acadiana Symphony (Louisiana), Oklahoma Composers' Orchestra, Greenville Symphony (Pennsylvania), Orchestra Omaha, and Lakeland Civic Orchestra (Ohio). Performances slated for 2023-24 include the Butler County Symphony (PA), Rapides Symphony (LA), Grand Junction Symphony (CO), Perrysburg Symphony (Ohio), Eastern Connecticut Symphony, Butler Philharmonic, and Western Piedmont Symphony (NC).

Performances of his music have also occurred in arts festivals, new music festivals and concerts, solo recitals at the international, national, and regional levels, Society of Composers conferences, and College Music Society conferences.  Dr. Perttu's music can be found on the Navona records label, in which his music has appeared on five albums.  Besides his CD releases, Dr. Perttu’s music has been published by Editions Musica Ferrum (Athens, Greece), BRS Music, Inc., as well as Dorn Publications.  Dr. Perttu has also received various commissions and awards from throughout the country. He completed his doctorate at The Ohio State University, master's degrees at Kent State University, and bachelor's degree at Williams College, graduating magna cum laude and as a member of Phi Beta Kappa.