biography

Composer and keyboard percussionist Nathan Daughtrey is driven by curiosity, relentlessly seeking ways to meld his lifelong passions. As a performing artist & clinician for Yamaha percussion and Salyers Percussion mallets, his varied career has taken him all over the world, appearing as a keyboard soloist in Australia, Asia, Eastern Europe, and throughout North America. Nathan has released two solo marimba albums – Spiral Passages and The Yuletide Marimba – the latter featuring his original arrangements of popular Christmas carols for the instrument. Additionally, he has appeared on many other albums, including Emma Lou Diemer’s Pacific Ridge, performing as soloist on her Concerto in One Movement for Marimba & Orchestra with the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra.

Nathan first discovered and cultivated his compositional voice through works involving percussion, including solos, duets, and ensembles. After one too many experiences being a bored, young “drummer” in the back of a band room, he made it his mission to compose wind band music across all difficulty levels with engaging, independent percussion parts that add color and drive, making those players indispensable. Perhaps best known for his percussion ensemble pieces, like Mercury Rising and Firefly, Nathan has also amassed an impressive catalog of chamber works combining percussion with woodwinds, brass, strings, and voice. Being a collaborative chamber musician on his own pieces has been the most rewarding means of combining his passions for performing and composing. This is best illustrated on the album Praxis with euphoniumist Brian Meixner, which includes recordings of Nathan’s duet Spitfire and his award-winning Coming Home for solo euphonium & percussion quintet. He maintains a healthy commission schedule, composing works across genres for performers, ensembles, and directors worldwide.

In January 2020, Nathan took over as owner and president of C. Alan Publications after wearing many hats for the company since 1998. To this new role, he brings with him the same curiosity and zeal to curate a catalog of music that is genuine, forward-looking, educational, and inspiring. Nathan lives a charmed life full of running, traveling, cooking, and concert-hopping with his wife Katie and daughter Penelope in Greensboro, NC.

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