Biography
Anthony Di Sanza, a recognized international performer and educator, has performed, presented master classes, and held residencies in North America, Europe and Asia. He has appeared as a visiting artist at over 50 colleges, universities and conservatories, and has performed as soloist and chamber musician in some of the world’s most important concert halls. Anthony can be heard on more than 15 internationally distributed CD recordings with various artists, including; Sole Nero-Piano and Percussion Duo, Mark Hetzler Chamber Ensemble, Linda Maxey with Galaxy Percussion and Keiko Abe & the Michigan Chamber Players. In review of his 2011 solo CD release, On the nature of…, All Music Guide writes; “Di Sanza dazzles not only in the assurance and polish of his playing but in his tremendous vitality and spontaneity.” In 2015 Anthony’s recording of Michael Udow’s multiple percussion concerto Moon Shadows was released on the Equilibrium label.
Anthony has performed with numerous orchestras as timpanist or percussionist and has served as principal percussionist with the Madison Symphony Orchestra since 1999. He has performed/presented at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC) on fifteen separate occasions and studies/performs music from Brazil and the Middle East. Anthony is regularly involved in the premiering of new works from a wide variety of composers, including; Akira Nishimura, Maki Ishii, Kaoru Wada, Nebojsa Zivkovic, Keiko Abe, Michael Udow, Dave Hollinden, Laura Elise Schwendinger, Les Thimmig, Joseph Koykkar, Payton MacDonald Jonas Tamulionis and Dennis Wilson.
Anthony has performed with numerous orchestras as timpanist or percussionist and has served as principal percussionist with the Madison Symphony Orchestra since 1999. He has performed/presented at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC) on fifteen separate occasions and studies/performs music from Brazil and the Middle East. Anthony is regularly involved in the premiering of new works from a wide variety of composers, including; Akira Nishimura, Maki Ishii, Kaoru Wada, Nebojsa Zivkovic, Keiko Abe, Michael Udow, Dave Hollinden, Laura Elise Schwendinger, Les Thimmig, Joseph Koykkar, Payton MacDonald Jonas Tamulionis and Dennis Wilson.
Also a percussion composer, Di Sanza’s 1st concerto for darabukka (Middle Eastern goblet drum) and percussion quartet has been performed internationally and his second concerto, titled Time’s Arc, was premiered in 2013 at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention. He has works published with Alfred, HoneyRock and Tapspace; and his book Improvisational Practice Techniques is published by RGM music. Anthony has a line of signature marimba mallets distributed by Encore Mallets and Black Swamp Percussion produces the Di Sanza Triangle Trigger, which he designed in collaboration with Black Swamp.
Professor of Percussion at the University of Wisconsin – Madison since 1999, Anthony has been honored with the Phi Beta Kappa Teaching Excellence Award (2014), the Kellett Mid-Career Award in the Creative Arts (2014) and the Emily Mead Baldwin Award in the Creative Arts (2010). The UW-Madison percussion ensembles have been awarded honors by the Percussive Arts Society and have performed internationally.
Anthony earned the Bachelor of Music Education degree from Youngstown State University and graduate degrees in percussion performance from the University of Michigan. He is an endorser of Encore Mallets, Black Swamp Percussion, Sabian Cymbals, Marimba One, Remo Drumheads and Pro-Mark Drumsticks.
