Daniel Asia: Cello Works
"American classical music has finally taken a sharp turn for the better—back towards tonality, accessibility, and immediacy. Daniel Asia is one of the composers who has his hands on the wheel."
— TIME
"Asia "wishes to be 'appropriately shattering' or revert to full-blown tonality when reaching for something 'beautiful and transcendent'".
— FANFARE
Daniel Asia: Composer
Daniel Asia (b. 1953) stands among the most versatile composers of his generation, having traversed orchestral, chamber, vocal, and operatic realms with equal mastery. A 2009 recipient of an American Academy of Arts and Letters Award and inducted into the American Academy of Sciences and Letters in 2024, Asia has been hailed as "a genuine creative spirit" and "a welcome addition to the roster of our strongest group of living composers."
His orchestral works have been commissioned and performed by major symphony orchestras including Cincinnati, Seattle, Milwaukee, Phoenix, and the American Composers Orchestra in New York City. Renowned conductors such as Jesús López-Cobos, Eiji Oue, Gerard Schwarz, and Zdeněk Mácal have championed his music on stages across America and Europe.
Asia served as Professor of Music at the University of Arizona from 1988-2024 and currently serves as President of Polyhymnia (Center for American Culture and Ideas). His distinguished career includes a Guggenheim Fellowship, four NEA Composers Grants, a Fulbright Arts Award Fellowship, and numerous other honors recognizing his contribution to American music.
Cello Suite
"A virtuoso program for virtuosos"
— FANFARE Magazine
"A poignant Shakespearian soliloquy"
The piece offers the performer a chance to cover "a broad range of ground in seven short movements" without the flashy showmanship of a traditional concerto.
— NewMusicBox / New Music USA
Cello Suite
SCORE
Recorded in 2025 by Julian Schwarz
A Lament
for cello and piano
"Unbearably expressive… subtle and… complex"
— Fanfare Magazine
About the Work
A deeply expressive single-movement work for cello and piano, A Lament channels Asia's characteristic blend of lyrical intensity and emotional directness. The piece unfolds as a sustained meditation — the cello's singing line set against a richly supportive piano texture — evoking grief, reflection, and ultimately a quiet sense of acceptance.
Never recorded. No commercial release.
Piano Trio
"Engaging, energetic, and playful."
— Audiophile Audition
"Daniel Asia: Music as an Encounter with the Sacred"
— FANFARE


Piano Trio (movement 1)
Piano Trio (movement 2)
Piano Trio (movement 3)
Piano Quartet
"The material on the CD, while sophisticated in language and structure, is deeply satisfying on an emotional and intellectual level."
— FANFARE
"Asia is a welcome addition to the roster of our strongest group of living composers, the tonal postmodernists: Bolcom, Del Tredici, Adams, et al. This new disc is highly recommended."
— SCHWANN OPUS
Piano Quartet - I - Tranquillo
Piano Quartet - II - Adagio Allegro
Piano Quartet - III - Dance-like
Cello Concerto
"The three-movement work showed Asia to have an excellent grasp of the cello's expressive potential and a wonderful sense of orchestration."
— T. LINDEMAN, NEWS & RECORD
"A substantive and characterful work."
— A. BAER, ATLANTIC MONTHLY
Cello Concerto
SCORE | Commissioned by Carter Brey. First performed with the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra, Stuart Molina, conductor. Never Recorded in Studio
Cello Concerto by Daniel Asia, performed by Julian Schwarz, cello
The Arizona Symphony, University of Arizona "Music + Festival"
Tucson, Arizona
October 2023
Nonet
"an interesting release that proves quite rewarding."
— Audiophile Audition
"The concise Nonet is cast in similar musical language, with something of the clear precision of neoclassical Stravinsky."
— Records International


Instrumentation
Fl. Ob. Cl. Hn. Bsn — Vln. Vla. Vlc. Cb
Duration
18 minutes
Nonet: Movement I
Impetuous, contemplative
Nonet: Movement II
Andante (or Moderato)
Nonet: Movement III
Allegro, molto ritimico
Nonet: Movement IV
Calmo, adagio
Nonet: Movement V
Allegro
Nonet: Movement VI
Lively (or Presto)
LISTEN
Performers & Conductors
Daniel Asia's symphonic works have been brought to life by some of the world's most distinguished ensembles and conductors, showcasing the breadth and appeal of his compositional voice across the international classical music community.
Distinguished Ensembles
Dorian Wind Quintet, American Brass Quintet, Meadowmount Trio, Cypress Quartet, Amernet String Quartet
Acclaimed Soloists
Andre-Michel Schub, Alex Klein, Benjamin Verdery, John Shirley-Quirk, Sara Watkins, Christopher Pedro Trakas, Faye Robinson, Robert Dick, Carter Brey, Julian Schwarz, Robert Swensen, Jeremy Huw Williams, Carmen Pelton, Mary Feinsinger
Renowned Conductors
Zdenek Macal, Jesus Lopez-Cobos, Eiji Oue, Lawrence Leighton Smith, Carl St. Clair, James Sedares, Stuart Malina, George Hanson, Kirk Trevor, Koji Kawamoto, Gerard Schwarz, Odaline de la Martinez, Jonathan Shames
"I feel this music coming through my cantorial relatives' voices!"
Andre-Michel Schub, about the Piano Concerto
Daniel Asia & Jewish Influence
Daniel Asia's music is deeply rooted in his Jewish identity, representing one of contemporary classical music's most profound explorations of spiritual and cultural heritage. His body of work stands as a testament to the continuing vitality of Jewish artistic expression in American concert music.
"combines a somewhat mournful quality with more dance-like material (particularly in the violin solo), and also includes a melody that more than hints at its joyful chassidic roots."
Fanfare, about Psalm 30
Psalm 30
A significant portion of Asia's work draws upon the Psalms and the poetry of Jewish-American writer Paul Pines and Israeli poet Yehuda Amichai. His Fifth Symphony, for instance, is based on the poetry of Pines and Amichai, as well as Biblical Psalms, creating a rich tapestry that weaves together ancient and modern Jewish voices.
Another work, "Breath in a Ram's Horn," directly references the shofar, a central symbol of the Jewish High Holy Days. Why (?) Jacob, one of Asia's most well-known pieces, serves as a powerful elegy for a childhood friend, Jacob Rayman, who was killed in the 1973 Arab-Israeli War.
Asia believes that both classical music and Judaism share a common goal: to connect people to a transcendent dimension. He has spoken extensively about how he sees music as an "architecture of time" that creates sacred moments, much like Jewish ritual, prayer, and the Sabbath observance.
This fusion of personal faith with artistic expression results in a body of work that is not only a personal exploration of Jewish heritage, but also an attempt to bridge the spiritual and the secular, seeking universal truth through a distinctly Jewish lens.
Distinguished Recognition
Throughout his career, Daniel Asia has received some of the most prestigious honors available to American composers, reflecting both the quality of his work and his significant contribution to contemporary classical music.
American Academy of Sciences & Letters induction ceremony, 2024
American Academy of Arts and Letters Award
2009
American Academy of Sciences and Letters
Inducted 2024
Guggenheim Fellowship
United Kingdom Fulbright Arts Award Fellowship
National Endowment for the Arts
Four NEA Composers Grants
Major Foundation Support
M.B. Rockefeller Grant | Aaron Copland Fund for Music Grant
Artist Residencies
MacDowell Colony Fellowship | Tanglewood Fellowship | DAAD Fellowship (Germany)
Composition Prizes
ASCAP Composition Prize | BMI Composition Prize
Orchestra Residency
Meet The Composer/Composer in Residence with the Phoenix Symphony 1991-94
Asia's Critical Acclaim
Daniel Asia's compositions have consistently garnered praise from leading publications and critics, recognizing his profound contributions to contemporary classical music. His ability to fuse intricate technical mastery with deep emotional resonance has earned him a distinguished place among today's most respected composers. His works are frequently described as powerful, thought-provoking, and technically brilliant, showcasing a composer whose voice is both distinctive and universally appealing.
Daniel Asia has been lauded by The New York Times for his "genuine creative spirit," underscoring his innovative approach to composition across diverse genres and his unique voice in modern music.
Schwann Opus has recognized Asia as "a welcome addition to the roster of our strongest group of living composers," highlighting his significant impact and the compelling nature of his works.
"American classical music has finally taken a sharp turn for the better—back towards tonality, accessibility, and immediacy. Daniel Asia is one of the composers who has his hands on the wheel."
—TIME Magazine
Additional Critical Acclaim
"Restoring Spirituality To Music"
—Forward.com
"Asia rocks!"
—Fanfare Magazine
"…a sensuous approach to sound…"
—New York Times
"Gorgeous music, passionate and lyrical..."
—Schwann Opus
"Challenging but listener-friendly."
—Seattle Times
Asia "wishes to be 'appropriately shattering' or revert to full-blown tonality when reaching for something 'beautiful and transcendent'"
—Fanfare
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Momentum Artists
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