Daniel Fishkin

The ears of Daniel Fishkin—composer of musical instruments—are ringing. Daniel studied with Maryanne Amacher and with multi-instrumentalist Mark Stewart. He has performed as a soloist on modular synthesizer with the American Symphony Orchestra, developed sound installations in abandoned concert halls, and played innumerable basement punk shows. Daniel’s lifework investigating the aesthetics of hearing damage has received international press; as an ally in the search for a cure, he has been awarded the title of “tinnitus ambassador” by the Deutsche Tinnitus-Stiftung. He is the only luthier that studied directly with the daxophone’s inventor, Hans Reichel; Daniel’s instruments have traveled the world, including Canada, California, Norway, Germany, France, Japan, Kazakhstan, and Australia. Recent instrumental research include the Arbrasson, a friction idiophone hailing from Southern France consisting of a notched log, which when rubbed, emits birdsong. Daniel received his MA in Music Composition from Wesleyan University, and has taught courses on instrument design and electronic music at Bard College, NYU and, Ramapo College. He is currently a PhD Candidate in Composition and Computer Music at the University of Virginia.