Maurice Ravel's "Gaspard de la Nuit":
Where Music Meets Poetry and Pianism

Daniel Steenken has resided in the Rio Grande Valley for thirty years. He is a full-time staff accompanist for the McAllen Independent School District where he works at Rowe High School and Fossum Middle School. In addition, he plays piano and directs the choir at the First Global Methodist Church in Mission.

Mr. Steenken received his bachelor’s degree in piano performance at the University of Texas-Pan American where he had the honor of studying with Dr. John Raimo. He has also studied piano with Ozan Marsh at the University of Arizona and received training at the Bosendorfer Academy in Vienna under the tutelage of Krassimira Jordan.

Mr. Steenken has been active as a solo performer in Edinburg and McAllen. He has appeared as soloist with the Valley Symphony Orchestra in Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy, Gershwin’s Concerto in F, Mozart’s Double Concerto with Dr. Dahlia Guerra, Liszt’s Concerto No. 2 in A major and Poulenc’s Concerto for Two Pianos, also with Dr. Guerra. He has also appeared with local high school ensembles performing Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 1, and Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A minor. He has accompanied both faculty and graduate recitals at UTRGV. Mr. Steenken also performed Rhapsody in Blue and the Rhythm Variations on an all-Gershwin concert, October 5, 2008 in Sault-Saint Marie, Ontario. Mr. Steenken’s last solo concert was a tribute to Franz Liszt and consisted of operatic transcriptions.