Dan Rubright teaches guitar at Washington University.
Dan Rubright is a guitarist, composer, bandleader, songwriter, and teacher. In addition to his work as a lifelong professional musician, Dan is a speaker, coach and workshop leader.
As a guitarist, Dan has worked with some of the top musical artists in the Saint Louis community and beyond. Some of those artists have included Denise Thimes, Chris Cheek, Steve Davis, Lydia Ruffin, Jim and Peter Mayer, Willie Akins, Ptah Williams, Peter Henderson, Charles Glen, Erin Bode, and Walter Parks among others. Dan also had the honor of performing with guitar legend, Tommy Emmanuel at the Sheldon Concert Hall in St. Louis.
Dan was cofounder, along with his brother, Ted Rubright, of the alternative rock group, Red Weather. Dan led the WirePilots a world-jazz trio featuring his compositions. He also founded the Dan Rubright Group, a jazz quartet featuring his original works.
He has performed as guitarist with the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, the Fabulous Fox Theatre Orchestra with touring Broadway productions, the Muny Opera, and Opera Theater of Saint Louis among others. He has appeared many times at the Sheldon Concert Hall in St Louis.
Dan’s book, The Musician’s Dilemma: A Guide for Integrating Your Passion for Music with Real Life, was published in September, 2022. (Difference Press.)
He composed the music score for the Emmy -Award winning, nationally televised, PBS Documentary, Oh Freedom After While and was the recipient of a 2019 Artist Fellowship Grant for music composition from the Regional Arts Commission in St. Louis. He has composed scores for five films, including the feature film, “12.” Dan has worked as a commercial film composer for a variety of clients in various mediums.
In 2019, Dan was commissioned to compose a large choral piece, which he titled, This is the Day. The piece was scored for three choirs, two trumpets, French horn, trombone, tympani and organ. It was performed in November of that year at the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Dayton, Ohio.
Dan attended the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music and Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri, where he received a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree in jazz performance. From the mid-80’s till 2010, Dan served as adjunct professor in the jazz studies department at Webster University. During that time, he taught hundreds of undergraduate and graduate jazz guitar students and taught numerous courses including jazz theory, commercial music composition, jazz ensembles, songwriting, music appreciation and film music history.
In 2015 Dan created a workshop called “The Hidden Jazz of Teams,” which he has since presented to various companies in St. Louis as well as schools including the School of Business at the University of Kansas.
His role as husband, father and stepfather, has taught him more than anything about the music of the heart and band energy!
Danrubrightauthor.com