Education:
- University of California, Los Angeles (Ph.D., M.A. - composition)
- University of California, Santa Cruz (M.A. - composition)
- Humboldt State University (B.A. - piano performance)
Dante De Silva’s prize-winning concert works have been performed all around California and the United States. His numerous commissions and awards include those from the National Association of Composers-USA, Meet-the-Composer Foundation, Santa Cruz New Music Works, UCLA, UC Santa Cruz, and his works have been performed by the Talea Ensemble, Pacific Serenades, Composers Inc., Westside Collective, Santa Cruz Guitar Duo, Bakersfield Symphony New Directions, Bowling Green State University New Music Ensemble, the Southern Illinois University Carbondale Ensemble – Neoteric, UCLA Percussion Ensemble, CSU Fresno Percussion Ensemble, and the Santa Monica Symphony Woodwind Quintet among others. The Definiens Project premiered around fifteen new works during his time as composer-in-residence. His Piano Sonata No. 1 – “Arcata”, commissioned and premiered by Gloria Cheng and Piano Spheres at Herbert Zipper Concert Hall at the Colburn School in Los Angeles, California in October 2007, prompted Mark Swed from the Los Angeles Times to write, “[De Silva] has a feeling for the keyboard, and the bell-like chords of the slow movement were beautiful.”
In addition to his many concert works, De Silva has worked in film and mainstream settings, and has performed in many experimental ensembles. He arranged brass parts for jazz pianist Jeff Lorber’s album He Had a Hat, recorded music for Corbin Bernsen’s directorial debut Carpool Guy, and worked as an assistant to composer Andrea Morricone. In the summer of 2006, De Silva contributed music when he and the Definiens Project joined multiple artists and musicians in forming the White Elephant Ensemble for a hybridized multi-media street theatre and performance art production titled Carchestra.
Currently, De Silva is working on his first opera (tentatively titled The Prince of Venosa) that was commissioned by San Francisco-based Ensemble Parallèle. Other projects include:
- Drive-Thru Etudes (a set of six piano etudes)
- EP (a seven-movement piece for two electric guitars, electric bass, and drums)
- Piano Concerto No. 1, dedicated to his previous piano teacher, Deborah Clasquin
- The Hermit, a song cycle in collaboration with baritone Christian Nova
Dante De Silva currently lives in Los Angeles, California with his wife and two sleepy cats.
CV available on request