Steven Dann

Steven Dann (born December 27, 1953) is a prominent Canadian violist.

Dann was born in Burnaby, British Columbia. He played the violin until 1970, when he switched to the viola. He began studying with Lorand Fenyves in Toronto in 1972, and continued his studies until he graduated from the University of Toronto in 1977. During this time, he also studied with Robert Pikler in Australia, as well as William Primrose and Bruno Giuranna.

Dann has held the position of principal viola with a number of orchestras, including the National Arts Centre Orchestra, the Concertgebouw orchestra in Amsterdam, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Dann is also an experience soloist, and has performed concerti with several orchestras, as well as with conductors Vladimir Ashkenazy, Sir John Eliot Gardiner and Andrew Davis. He has also commissioned concerti and chamber works from a number of composers, notably the Canadian Alexina Louie and Christos Hatzis. Dann is a noted chamber musician, and is a member of the Axelrod Quartet and the Smithsonian Chamber Players (both based in Washington DC).

Dann playes a 1780 viola by Joseph Gagliano.