A native of southern California, composer Dante De Silva enjoys writing for traditional instruments and ensembles, such as string quartet and orchestra, as well as the experimental, such as a microwave and table-top guitar. His many works include music for chamber, choral, orchestral and theatrical ensembles as well as solo and electronic music. With his penchant for melding the traditional with the experimental, he “belongs to a new generation rebelling against the new.” (Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times).           His works have been performed by ensembles such as the Talea Ensemble, Pacific Serenades, Composers Inc., Santa Cruz New Music Works, the Bakersfield Symphony New Directions, the Bowling Green State University New Music Ensemble, the Southern Illinois University Carbondale Ensemble – Neoteric, the UCLA Percussion Ensemble conducted by Mitchell Peters, the UC Santa Cruz Orchestra conducted by Nicole Paiement, the CSU Fresno Percussion Ensemble, The Concert Singers directed by Jenni Brandon, Synchromy, and the Santa Monica Symphony Woodwind Quintet. The Definiens Project, along with its Tonoi Ensemble and Nucleus Ensemble, premiered more than 15 new works and arrangements during De Silva’s time as composer-in-residence. His solo works have been performed by Gloria Cheng, Ryan MacEvoy McCullough, Carter Dewberry, Laura Medisky, and Ryan Zwahlen, and the latter three have released albums containing his compositions. His awards include those from the National Association of Composers-USA, the Meet-the-Composer Foundation, Santa Cruz New Music Works, and UCLA.

          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, composed music for the website of artist Jake Rowell, and arranged music for LA Views 2 by the Company of Angels Theatre. 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 opera Castle Gesualdo, commissioned by San Francisco-based Ensemble Parallèle, which will receive its premiere in early 2013. Works being premiered in 2012 include Mr. Distinguished (for violin, alto saxophone, piano, and pre-recorded electronics) by Vipisa from Arcata, CA, Rejuvenated Heart (for women’s chorus and chamber ensemble) by Arizona Women in Tune, and The Absurd ABC (for oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and pre-recorded electronics) by Vientos Trio. Other projects include Drive-Thru Etudes, Book 2 (a set of six piano etudes), EP and LP (multi-movement pieces for two electric guitars, electric bass, and drums), Wake the Dead (for piano trio) written for the Saguaro Trio, and Mad, Mad Science (a set of pieces for narrator, electronics, and tabletop guitar).

          De Silva received his education at UCLA (Ph. D., M.A.) studying composition with David Lefkowitz, Paul Reale, Ian Krouse, and Roger Bourland, UC Santa Cruz (M.A.) studying composition with Paul Nauert and David Cope, and Humboldt State University (B.A.) studying composition with J. Brian Post and Eugene Novotney and studying piano with Deborah Clasquin. He currently lives in Los Angeles, California with his wife, son, and two cats.