Daniel Skandera

Since taking up the instrument at age 18, Daniel has become an ambitious and devoted marimba player. With a $3000 VSA arts Young Soloist scholarship, Daniel became a student at Georgia State University.

"When I was a little boy, my mom and dad sang to me, and I listened to music on my dad's HiFi. I got my first set of drums in first grade...Mario Lanza was my favorite singer then. Now I like Pavarotti for classical songs...[My mom] was my first music teacher. She taught me to count and to read music...[Now] I teach my audience how to hold and play with two mallets and four mallets. At the end of the program, I answer questions from students and teachers."

When Daniel won the Itzhak Perlman Award, he gave a recital all by himself except for an accompanist. In a hall that seats 400, there was standing room only. Daniel broke the attendence records for a student recital.

Daniel is now putting together what might be the first marimba ensemble led by a person with Down Syndrome. Many of his former instructors and accompanists will be players in Daniel's ensemble.

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