Daniel Strawser

Dr. Daniel Strawser is a Term Instructor of Music Education at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, affiliated with the School of Fine Arts. He holds a doctorate in cello performance from the University of Memphis and has extensive experience in both performance and music education. His work emphasizes accessibility to classical music in underserved communities, particularly through his nine-year tenure in Memphis public schools. He is the principal cellist of the Fairbanks Symphony Orchestra and has performed with orchestras across the U.S. and internationally.

• Education:
• Bachelor’s in Music Education, Denison University
• Master’s and Doctorate in Cello Performance, University of Memphis

Research interests include cello performance, music education in disadvantaged urban settings, and the works of composer Hans Gál, whom he studied for his doctoral dissertation. Dr. Strawser also focuses on training future music educators through practical classroom experiences and collaborations with local advocacy groups like NAfME and AMEA.

His performance career spans symphonic, chamber, and solo engagements, including roles with the Delta Symphony, Starkville Symphony, and Memphis’s Eroica Ensemble. He has developed cello programs at Arkansas State University and Union University, mentoring the first performance majors in those programs.