Musical/Personal Bio: I grew up in the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio listening to lots of rock music and learning to play classical piano. I set out, starting around the age of 16 to write music that would combine the two without compromising the essential elements of either. This mission has essentially stayed the same through the ensuing years, although a lot of different music has been thrown into the mix along the way. My music looks for the connection between the hard-hitting viscerality of heavy metal bands like Rage Against the Machine and the savage ferocity of composers like Iannis Xenakis; the similarity between the intricate polyrhythms of Steve Reich and math-rock bands like Tool; a place where the collage of musical quotations practiced by Charles Ives can coexist with the electronic sampling culture of hip-hop groups like Public Enemy. Now based in Boston I am keeping busy composing music for pre-existing ensembles, composing music for my own groups, and performing and improvising on the piano, guitar, and laptop computer. - Dan VanHassel Official Concert Bio: Dan VanHassel (b. 1981) is a composer, pianist, and electronic music performer living in Cambridge, MA. His music generally involves some degree of improvisation, as well as an emphasis on rhythmic and timbral qualities. Many different musical genres can often be heard incorporated within, or influencing his work. His music has been performed in venues across the United States including: the June in Buffalo Festival, the Bowdoin International Music Festival, California Summer Music, Ohio University, Carnegie Mellon University, Aspen Underground, the Boston CyberArts Festival, the Interlochen Arts Academy, and New England Conservatory.