About
Daniel Arthurs, Ph.D., is a professor of music who specializes in music theory, composition, and jazz studies. Professor Arthurs studied jazz composition with the late David Baker, Distinguished Professor and Chair of Jazz Studies at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music. Professor Arthurs’ work on the tonal language of jazz pianist Brad Mehldau was recognized by the Society for Music Theory Jazz Interest Group with the Steve Larson Award as an outstanding contribution to jazz analysis and scholarship. He has presented research on jazz and classical music at regional, national, and international conferences, and is currently working on a book on Mehldau. Professor Arthurs’ compositions include works for jazz band, and has more recently taken to electronic music production, where he is under contract with Petrichor Records for a solo album to be released in early 2024. As a trombonist, Professor Arthurs has played for The Four Tops, The Temptations, Wayne Newton, and can be found around town playing at a variety of public and private events. Before coming to TU, Prof. Arthurs held academic posts at the University of North Texas, Eastern Illinois University, and Indiana University.
Awards and Honors
- Steve Larson Award, Society for Music Theory, Jazz Interest Group (7 Nov 2014), “Reconstructing Tonal Principles in the Music of Brad Mehldau”, Ph.D. diss., Indiana University, 2011
- 33rd Annual Montreux Jazz Festival, Montreux, Switzerland
Education
- Ph.D., Music Theory, Indiana University
- Dissertation: “Reconstructing Tonal Principles in the Music of Brad Mehldau”
- M.M., Music Theory, Indiana University
- B.M., Music Theory, The University of Tulsa
Research interests and areas of expertise
- Music theory and analysis
- 18th-century counterpoint
- The partimento tradition
- Schenkerian analysis
- Big band arranging and composition
- Electronic music production