DAN GARMON
- multi-instrumentalist, music director, arranger, orchestrator -
ableton & sound design, mixing&mastering
About | DAN GARMON
Dan Garmon is a NYC multi-instrumentalist, music director, arranger, orchestrator, and educator. He studied at McGill University's prestigious Schulich School of Music, and was the first to ever double major on two instruments in two different degree programs: classical piano performance & jazz drum set performance (graduating with distinction in piano). During his studies he had the honor of serving as the drummer for the internationally renowned McGill Jazz One, the school's premiere large jazz ensemble.
Dan has since performed around the continent with a host of brilliant performers including Tituss Burgess, Jane Krakowski, John Mulaney, Bonnie Milligan, and more. He was most recently MD/arranger for Tituss & Jane's Off-Broadway presentation of CENTER OF THE YOU-NIVERSE, recorded for Audible live at the Minetta Lane theatre. He was also music director/keys/conductor and Ableton designer for the most recent workshop of Dave Malloy's new dystopian musical DON'T STOP ME at Manhattan School of Music.
Dan's greatest passion lies in developing groundbreaking, poignant, provocative new works with a host of leading voices in the next generation of musical theatre writers, including Dave Malloy, Brian Lowdermilk & Kait Kerrigan, Oliver Houser, Nikko Benson, Daniel Emond, Angela Sclafani and many more.
In addition to working in musical theatre, Dan made it to the finals of the Joy In Singing International Art Song competition, playing collaborative piano with classical tenor Lucas Levy. He also sound designs & mixes live theatrical and concert venues, and mixes and masters a host of various recorded projects, including the GRAMMY™ award winning Steven Feifke big band. He is known for performing in an unusually diverse variety of musical contexts; he has performed as a solo classical pianist / chamber musician, in jazz combos and big bands, modern/neo-soul groups, pop punk & emo/screamo/mathcore bands, Indian classical music / tabla ensembles, John Zorn Cobra and other improvised music groups, extended-technique contemporary classical, and anything and everything in between. He was the drummer for the Brooklyn-based pop-punk band Original Sharks for many years.
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For a more extensive description of his experience, please refer to his resume.
​Under the music direction of Dan Garmon, the cast sounds exceptional as a whole as well as individually, bringing a harmonic and dynamic nuance to numbers that have been familiar to audiences for over twenty years.
Zac Thriffiley
BWW Review: The National Tour of CRUEL INTENTIONS
​Music director Dan Garmon led the accomplished band that had Justin Smith on violin, John De Simini on reeds, Chris Agar on bass and Dan Weiner on drums. Their efforts terrifically rendered the many familiar melodies with a fresh and jazzy take due to Mr. Garmon, Aaron Gandy and Ross Patterson’s arrangements.
Darryl Reilly
theatrescene.net review of Irving Berlin: American @ 92Y
"The show takes environmental theater to new heights, as actors sit alongside spectators and members of the fantastic band (under music director Dan Garmon) surround the audience."
Mark Lord
Queens Chronicle review of "Cabaret"
"As usual... the singing (Dan Garmon, Music Director) is outstanding. Songs are delivered with undeniable wit and emotion"
Cliff Kasden
Queens Courier review of "Spelling Bee"
"This Into the Woods, with its 15-piece orchestra led by conductor/keyboardist Dan Garmon, is a treat for eye and ear."
Pat Donnelly
Montreal Gazette
"Special kudos to the musical director, Dan Garmon, for the superb singing and music he elicits from the performers." -
Charlebois Post
Review of McGill AUTS' Kiss of the Spider Woman