M.L. Daniels composer

M. L. Daniels was born in Cleburne, TX in 1931. He received his bachelor's degree from Abilene Christian University, and his doctorate from The University of North Texas, where he studied composition with Samuel Adler. He joined the music faculty at Abilene Christian University in 1959 after directing bands at Clarksville (TX) High School for 3 1/2 years. He remained at ACU for the next 34 years, assisting with the band for the first four years, directing the university orchestra for three years, and serving as music department chairman for 15 years (1964-79). While at ACU, he taught music theory, conducting, orchestration, counterpoint, class brass, class strings, and composition. As a member of the ACU music faculty, he was presented with the outstanding teacher award from the college of liberal and fine arts. In 1982 he received the prestigious Minnie Stevens Piper award or outstanding teahing and scholarship in Texas universities. He retired from ACU in 1993, and moved to Austin, TX where he lives with his wife, Elaine.
He has published compositions for hymns, band, full orchestra, string orchestra, string quartet, brass solo, brass ensemble, chorus, and solo voice. Prior to 1999, he had won (or tied for) first prize four times in the National School Orchestra Association Composition Contest. In 1999 he won the full orchestra composition contest sponsored by the Texas Orchestra Directors Association, and in 2000, he won the Merle J. Isaac Composition Contest (sponsored by the American String Teachers Association and the National School Orchestra Association) with a piece for string orchestra. His most recent prize was the 2007 Texas Orchestra Director's Association prize for a full orchetra composition. In 2011 he won honorable mention in the Merle J. Isaac Composition Contest with a piece for string orchestra.

For the last few years he has been the composer-in-residence for the Williamson County Symphony Orchestra, and continues to conduct many of his compositions.