#11 Dan Walker

An expanding library of ideas for choir leaders - get to know and learn from your choir-leading heroes. In episode 11 of Interviews with Choir Leaders, we talk to Dan Walker.

 

Canberra-based composer, conductor and performer Dan Walker is one of Australia’s most in-demand choral specialists. His compositional and arranging output is extensive; among this body of work is the iconic arrangement of I Still Call Australia Home featured in the 2009 QANTAS television ad campaign.

 

Expect to learn:

• Why audiences go berserk for video game music
• Which one of Dan's mentors was named '2006 musician of the year' by the Sydney Morning Herald
• Whether or not you should sing while you conduct your choir
• Why a conductor should always act confident in front of their choir
• Why it's more important for rehearsals to be enjoyable than performances
• Why it's exciting but also frustrating when a choir sings one of your own compositions
• And much more...

 

Dan Walker's website

http://www.danwalkercomposer.com/vocalandchoral

 

Dan Walker's Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/dan.walker.3572

 

Dan Walker's SoundCloud

https://soundcloud.com/musicofdanwalker

 

Dan Walker's groups

The Canberra Chorale Society https://canberrachoralsociety.org/

Oriana Chorale http://orianachorale.com/

Canberra Community Chorale https://canberracommunitychorale.com/

Luminescence Chamber Singers https://www.luminescence.org.au/

 

ACDA (American Choral Director's Association) Facebook group

https://www.facebook.com/ACDANational/

 

Leonard Bernstein conducting with no hands video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WvTQb4MonI

 

Recordings Used:

Out There - Birralee Voices

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvgnVqtc8To

Phonograph - Sydney Philharmonia Choirs

https://open.spotify.com/track/4QpoS7xzpTEuXeCGKCrNWL

How Can You Catch The Wind? Junior Gondwana

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZ7LhWVTOa4

Mass of Deliverance - Sanctus

https://soundcloud.com/musicofdanwalker/sanctus?si=b9fc98394e104d89b670f500a789e9df&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

Arafura IV - Gondwana Chorale

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bveZwi7WqM0

Forever In A Day - Dan Walker

https://soundcloud.com/musicofdanwalker/forever-in-a-day?si=07259f60a66f4cb4b8d0950612321080&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

This Secret World - Sydney Philharmonia Choirs

https://open.spotify.com/track/0ujd8BuDbFFlbbFEcwaF0U?si=06f93c24290e4ca4

 

My website: https://danbennettmusic.com/