Meet Marymount Faculty: Dr. Daniel Koh

 
Dr. Daniel Koh is the Director of Choral Activities and Performing Arts Department Chair at Marymount High School in Los Angeles, where he directs all of the choral ensembles and teaches music theory. 
 
Recently, we asked Dr. Koh to answer some 'getting to know you' questions. Click the link below to read what we learned.
 
 
Where were you born?
I grew up in Singapore, a land of great beauty, gorgeous food and astonishing humidity.

Where did you go to college and graduate school?
I received my Bachelor of Arts in Music (with a piano performance emphasis) and my Bachelor of Science in Biology (with a pre-medical emphasis) from Westmont College in Santa Barbara. I received my Doctor of Musical Arts and Master of Musical Arts degrees in Choral Conducting from the Yale School of Music.
 
Who is your favorite choral composer and why?
My favorite choral composers are Bach, Brahms and Britten. They are all geniuses in their own rights: master craftsmen who perfectly meld text and music so that the one illumines and amplifies the other. For me, any opportunity to listen to their choral masterpieces is an emotional, intellectual and spiritual experience.
 
What is your favorite song on the radio right now?
I don't generally listen to the radio, but the CD in my car that I am currently obsessed with is the soundtrack from Idina Menzel's current Broadway musical, "If/Then."  I encountered the soundtrack this summer for the first time, and it reminded me of why I love music.
 
What are you most looking forward to about the 2014-15 school year?
Last year was a tremendous year: it was my first year at Marymount, which was both exciting and a little terrifying, and it was the first year of CAP, which reminded me just how thrilling it can be to collaborate across multiple disciplines in the arts. So, this year, I am most looking forward to building on that momentum that we started last year, and seeing how far we can go!
 
What is your favorite memory about last school year?
My favorite memory from last year was probably "42nd Street"! It was a joy to watch it come to life and blossom before my eyes.
 
 
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While a student at Yale, Dr. Koh served as director of the Yale Glee Club Chamber Singers, the Yale Divinity School Chapel Choir, the Yale Repertory Chorus and the Yale Recital Chorus. He also served as the assistant conductor of the Yale Glee Club and the Yale Camerata. Prior to moving to Los Angeles, Dr. Koh lived in Vero Beach, FL, and served as the Director of Choral Activities and Fine Arts Department Chair at Saint Edward’s School. Dr. Koh also served as Director of Choral Activities at Gonzaga University, where he taught applied conducting and music history and directed the Gonzaga University Choir, the Gonzaga University Chorale and the Gonzaga University Gregorian Schola.  
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