David Dramm (1961) was born in Illinois, growing up in San Diego, California. His composition studies began with Robert Erickson at University of California, San Diego and, later, at Yale University with Louis Andriessen and Earle Brown. The Dutch Volkskrant described his music as the groundbreaking terrain between Charles Ives, Jimi Hendrix, and Lou Reed. As a composer, singer, guitarist, and lyricist Dramm moves effortlessly between the worlds of classical music, improvisation, rock music, theater, and dance. His music is performed regularly in concert halls and rock clubs as well as being used by choreographers and theater makers throughout Europe. Major festivals commissioning and programming his music include Holland Festival, November Music, Freunde Guter Musik in Berlin, Woch Der Niederländischen Musik in Leipzig, Moers Festival, EXPO in Biel, New Music Days in Tallinn, Estonia, the Finnish Time of Music Festival and Dutch Music Days. Commissions have included works for ASKO Ensemble, Frances-Marie Uitti, Aurelia Saxophone Quartet, Orkest de Volharding, Albany Symphony, Steamboat Switzerland, Marcel Worms, Esther Apituley, Dogs of Desire, Tomoko Mukaiyama, Nederlands Blazers Ensemble, de ereprijs, Scapino Ballet and theatergroup Orkater.
Recordings of Dramm's music are available on BVHaast, Vanguard Classics, Einstein, Composer's Voice, X-OR and NBE Live. His 2001 Holland Festival collaboration with David Lammers, Helen Barbara will be available soon on DVD. Dramm's music is published by Donemus and voLsap Music. Dramm lives and works in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.