Daniel Fishkin
Daniel Fishkin is a composer, sound artist, and instrument builder whose work is informed by his personal experiences with tinnitus. Fishkin has studied under composer Maryanne Amacher and multi-instrumentalist Mark Stewart, and has performed with the American Symphony Orchestra. After working with the late Hans Reichel, inventor of the daxophone, Fishkin began building experimental musical instruments, most notably the Lady's Harp, a 20-foot long instrument consisting of piano strings, amplifiers, and a mixer. He says, "In the absence of a medical cure, I vowed to find a creative solution. I do not want to get used to my hearing damage; I want to use it." For his advocacy in the hearing-impaired community, Fishkin was awarded the title of "Tinnitus Ambassador" by The German Tinnitus Foundation. He received his MA in music composition from Wesleyan University and currently teaches a course in analog synthesis at Bard College. In 2016, Fishkin received a Center Project grant to present Composing the Tinnitus Suites: 2016, a collaborative performance series and immersive installation exploring hearing damage.
