D. M. Gardner Music

Dave Gardner’s music, ranging from a cappella to larger choral & orchestral works, has been performed internationally at various concerts, festivals, competitions, and recitals by a variety of community and professional organizations to include the Omaha Symphony, Boston Children’s Chorus, William Baker Festival Singers, Nebraska Wind Symphony, and numerous universities and community choruses. Recent years have brought exciting new venues, new premieres, new locations and performances around the world, and new experiences as a member of the Omaha Symphonic Chorus artistic staff. Perhaps one of the most unexpected highlights was the honor of having his arrangement of "Loch Lomond" performed by the National Youth Choir of Scotland for the 20th Anniversary Celebration of the Scottish National Parliament, attended not only by members of parliament, but also Her Majesty The Queen and Prince, now His Majesty the King, Charles.
 

Dave is currently the Composer-in-Residence for the Omaha Symphonic Chorus of Omaha, Nebraska. His deeply introspective, beautifully melodic and moving compositional style appeals to a wide range of audiences and performers. He believes that the greatest innovation and challenge for the modern composer is not just the creation of something new, but of something unique, accessible, and enduring. Dave enjoys working with local poets and organizations to collaboratively create original works. Whenever possible, he rehearses and conducts performances of his music, providing compositional insight and interpretation from the composer’s point-of-view. His interests also include speaking with students and aspiring artists about self-publishing, music composition, and the confident pursuit of musical interests. Dave has also taught Music Composition and Theory as an Adjunct Professor at Grace University in Omaha, Nebraska. 
 

Since 2015, Dave has directed Freedom Voices, an a cappella chamber choir dedicated to the service of military veterans and their families. In this capacity, he has performed in over 100 official ceremonies for over 27,000 people to include veterans, family members, DoD personnel, and numerous dignitaries from the highest echelons of the government and military.
 

Mr. Gardner earned his undergraduate degree in music composition and theory from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.  He studied composition with Dr. W. Kenton Bales and consulted with Dr. Z. Randall Stroope regarding composition whenever the opportunity arose. Performing extensively under the direction of Dr. Stroope, Dave was heavily influenced by Stroope’s deeply moving compositional style and use of rich choral textures, each driven by a profound understanding of textual meaning and significance, and conveyed through beautiful melodies that mirrored each subtle and overt poetic nuance. Mr. Gardner completed his Master of Science in Music Technology degree at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, a unique program that leverages expertise from both the Indiana University Department of Music and the Purdue School of Engineering and Technology.
 

Recently, Dave decided to expand beyond a successful self-publication effort that has already reached a worldwide audience over the years on its own, and will be releasing his first SSAA and SATB works with Galaxy Music Corporation (a division of the ECS Publishing Group) in the fall of 2023.
 

Whether inspiration for a melody or chord is found while walking in nature, looking up at the heavens, or spending time with his family, Dave's music is a reflection of the joy found in all of these combined experiences.