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dan Leavitt
Dan is one busy guy. He is currently the conductor and music director for Inside the Orchestra. He has written over 700 compositions, transcriptions and arrangements that are played by bands and orchestras all over the world. His recent arrangement of The Castle House Rag by James Reese Europe was featured on a concert at Howard University in April of 2023 in honor of James Reese Europe.
Dan has taught music at the University of Colorado Boulder, Metropolitan State University and Colorado Christian University. Dan was recently honored to conduct the Denver High School All City Band, an ensemble he played in many years ago. He has also conducted the Colorado Ballet, the Mercury Ensemble Chamber Orchestra the Colorado Youth Symphony and other local orchestras and jazz ensembles. Dan has performed with numerous recording artists including:
Mel Tormé
Michael Bolton
Bob Hope
Charlie Pride
Chuck Berry
Kenny Rogers
The Canadian Brass
The Irish Tenors
Three Mo' Divas
Richard Stolzman
Andre Watts
Garrison Kiellor
Tiger Akoshi
David Foster
Gary Burton
Ron Miles
Too Hot To Handel
Cleo Parker Robinson Dance
Eartha Kitt
Dinah Shore
Debbie Reynolds
Gary Burton
Tiger Okioshi
The Denver Metro Traffic Jam
Rare Silk
Mandisa
Pearl Bailey
Louis Bellson
(big breath)
He has performed four times for presidents of the United States and once lead off the Denver Broncos Super Bowl 33 victory parade. He can be seen in the PBS special 3 Mo’ Divas. He has recorded with the Colorado Symphony, The Boulder Brass, Rare Silk, and can be heard on Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman by Joan Tower. He has performed with the the Denver Brass, the Denver Chamber Orchestra, the Colorado Chamber Players, Forever in Blue Jeans, Central City Opera, the Colorado Symphony, Mercury Ensemble and many touring Broadway shows such as Phantom of the Opera, Annie, The Producers, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Annie Get Your Gun, Big, Peter Pan, and others. Dan has taught at the Grenoble Jazz Summer camp in Grenoble France. Dan has a passion for conducting, performing, composing, and music education.
Currently Dan enjoys composing arranging and conducting music for Inside the Orchestra. The nation's only professional orchestra performing music strictly for children.
Fun fact
Dan once received a blue ribbon at the National Western Rodeo as part of a mule team performance where he played trumpet honoring military veterans.
Not to be forgotten however is Dan's performance on a donkey cart in Vnosc France where he was part of the festivities at the annual Vnoc donkey races.
More about Inside the Orchestra
The role of an orchestra in the 21st century isn’t just playing, it’s about developing future audiences and performers. – Leonard Slatkin