Daniel Janke is a composer, writer and media artist based out of his studio in Yukon, Canada. Daniel also works regularly in Berlin, Germany. To get in touch visit the contact page below.
The song cycle Map of You, a collaboration with soprano Rachel Fenlon, will be released on Centrediscs this coming July, 2025.
Daniel’s recent recording release Available Light with his group Winter Trio, is on the Chronograph Records label, 2024.
His album Body In Motion features music for strings [Centrediscs 2023].
His short film How People Got Fire [NFB, 2009] has screened in over 60 countries.
Speak Whale was created for the installation Song of the Whale by Joyce Majiski (2019)
A personal favourite is Heart played on the West African kora. A version of this will be released on an upcoming project titled Roots and Wings.
For all recordings visit the Bandcamp site.
Bio
Early piano studies were with the Conservatory of Music in Toronto, Canada; Studies in composition and contrebasse at the University of Victoria, BC, Canada; Masters degree in ethnomusicology at York University, Toronto (1992).
Musical Influences are eclectic and include an upbringing in gospel and roots music, as well as travel and studies through parts of West Africa. Daniel is part of the free improvisation community with involvement in jazz and new music.
He has worked as musical director on numerous theatre, dance and multi-media stage productions, and was artistic director of Problematic Orchestra for nine years. He performs with violinist Mark Fewer featuring, music for prepared piano and violin from their album Celestial Blue: as well as with clarinettist François Houle, performing music from their album Crystalline; and with his group Winter Trio. Other recording credits include working with Bruce Cockburn on Breakfast In New Orleans [1999, Ryko].
Music
Scores and parts for music by Daniel Janke can be found at the Canadian Music Centre.
Commissions include work for the NAC Touring Ensemble, Penderecki String Quartet, Standing Wave Ensemble, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Vancouver Symphony, Bozzini String Quartet, NEM, Continuum Ensemble, and violinist Mark Fewer. Daniel recently completed an art song cycle with soprano Rachel Fenlon (Centrediscs, 2025)
His recent recording release Available Light is with Winter Trio [Chronograph Records, 2024]. The album Body In Motion features music for strings [Centrediscs 2023].
Film scores by Daniel Janke include Subconscious Password directed by Chris Landreth, which was short-listed for an Oscar award [NFB, 2014]; Touch and Susan Smith Tapes directed by Jeremy Podeswa.
For all recordings releases visit Bandcamp.
Film and Media
Northern Town Films is the production company of Canadian writer and media artist Daniel Janke. Daniel was creator and co-producer of the TV series Northern Town along with story editor Don McKellar, and co-writer Bob Martin [CBC, 2006, directed by Gary Burns].
Films directed by Daniel Janke include How People Got Fire [NFB, 2009] which screened in over 60 countries, received numerous prizes, and was nominated for a Canadian writers guild award; Homecoming Song [NTF, 2020]. Grubstake Remix [NTF, 2017] a multi-media work, toured Canada and featured at the Babylon Theatre in Berlin. The short film River is a poetic exploration of the Yukon River as flowing from the future into the past.
Daniel recently completed the one-hour doc. film Old Crow A Philosophy, with co-director Erika Tizya-Tramm and the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation of Yukon, Canada
Contact