_edited.jpg)
Anthony O’Toole holds a BA in Music Theory and Composition from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a MM of Composition from George Mason University where he was recognized by the university as a distinguished graduate for his achievements as a composer and musician. Since he began writing in his teens he has composed more than 100 works over the last 10 years and has written for virtually every major idiom and instrument.Mr. O’Toole is primarily self-taught as a composer but credits his mentors, Jack Stamp and Mark Camphouse as being pivotal to his development as a composer and musician. Anthony has also had the opportunity to learn and engage with many respected composers such as Richard Danielpour, Dana Wilson, Frank Ticheli, Cindy McTee, George Crumb, Ryan Nowlin, Drew Hemenger, and others.
His music has been commissioned and performed by musicians and ensembles all around the world. Mr. O’Toole’s music for wind band has been performed and recorded by some of the finest bands including the United States Coast Guard Band, The Kansas State University Wind Ensemble, ‘The President’s Own’ United States Marine Band, The University of North Texas Wind Symphony, The St. Olaf Band, The Singapore Wind Symphony, The West Point Academy Band, The Alabama Winds, dozens of All-State and Festival bands and many others. His piece “Fanfare to ‘The Hammer’” is featured in the 10th edition of the GIA Publications series ‘Teaching Music Through Performance in Band’ and 'Prelude to Something Big' is in the 11th edition - the Concerto for Tuba and the Concerto for Euphonium can be found in the 'Solos with Wind Band Accompaniment' edition. These volumes (10 and 11) feature a recording by the UNT Wind Symphony and an in-depth analysis of the work. Hammer also appears in the ‘Sourcebook for Wind Band and Instrumental Music’ by Russ Girsberger, Frank L. Battisti, and William Berz. All of Mr. O'Toole's wind band music as of 2016 is also included in The Band Music Handbook: A Catalog of Emerging Band Repertoire by Christopher M. Cicconi.
He has received numerous awards for his compositions including the Grand Prize in the 2012 Garritan Composition Contest, and Second Place in the 2014 Van Galen Prize for wind chamber music and his piece 'Electrons Dancing' won the 2019 Southwest American Prize in the Large Ensemble category. In 2014 Mr. O’Toole was inducted into the Sigma Alpha Iota Music Fraternity as an honorary member for his musical contributions. He is also a member of Phi Mu Alpha Music Fraternity, ASCAP and The American Composer’s Federation. Anthony currently resides in Los Angeles, CA where he fulfills his commissions for new works and does orchestrations and arrangements as a freelance writer; he also serves as Composer-in-Residence for the Carson Symphony Orchestra and Staff Arranger for the Southern California Brass Consortium.