Davison, Dan

 

 

 

Dan Davison (b. 1956) has been the Choir Director at Ballou Junior High in Puyallup, Washington, since 1979. In addition to conducting the four ensembles at the school, he has numerous teaching and mentoring responsibilities, and most notably, sings professionally with Male Ensemble Northwest.

Davison was born in Sacramento, California, but has lived in the greater Seattle area since 1965. Since 1979, he has lived in Puyallup, Washington, with his wife, Cathy, who is also a public school teacher. He attended Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington, where he received his Bachelor's degree, studying under Maurice Skones. He continued his education with a Master's degree in music from Western Washington University, studying with Bruce Pullan. 

Davison's 34-year tenure as Choir Director at Ballou Junior High School has acquainted him well with the complexities of the adolescent voice. At present, Dan directs a 55-voice beginning soprano-alto choir, a 35-voice beginning tenor-bass choir, a 40-voice 8th-grade choir, a 44-voice 9th-grade choir, and a 16-voice jazz choir. His jazz choir performed at the ACDA Northwest Convention in Seattle in 2010. Dan is experienced as a church choir director and has also directed choirs at Western Washington University and Pacific Lutheran University. Dan has directed the Northwest ACDA Youth Choir (grades 7-9) for the 2014 ACDA Northwest Convention.

Davison began his association with Walton Music in 2001. Since then, Walton has published 24 of his pieces in various voicings.

Davison gained an interest in vocal jazz in the late 1990's through his association with Frank DeMiero. He composes and arranges nearly all of the music for his jazz choir, and his published compositions in the vocal jazz genre cover a wide range of difficulties (available through Sound Music Publications).

Davison has received numerous awards for his role in music education, including the 1996 State of Washington Christa McAuliffe Educator of the Year, The 2010 Educator Citizen of the Year for Communities In Schools In Puyallup, Washington, and also the 2010 Outstanding Choral Director Award from the Washington chapter of ACDA.