Dennis J. McShane, M.D.
Harmonious Classical Music for the 21st Century
Dennis J McShane (known by all as “Denny”) was born in California but reared in the suburbs of Chicago. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology and Philosophy from Loyola University, Chicago, in 1967, and his medical degree from Stanford University in 1972. He completed his training in Internal Medicine and advanced training in Immunology and Rheumatology from 1973-1978. He joined the clinical faculty in the Division of Immunology at Stanford in 1979 attaining the rank of Clinical Professor of Medicine. His area of medical research was in long-term outcomes measurement and health services in the rheumatic diseases. In addition to his faculty position he also maintained a private clinical practice for 15 years focused on individuals with HIV/AIDS.
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In 1997, Denny developed a series of computerized clinical algorithms for nurse-led telephonic symptom triage employed by the National Health Service in the United Kingdom (NHS Direct) and he served as a member of the clinical coordinating council for this program until his retirement at the end of 2009. As he embarked on his new life, Denny decided to pursue a lifelong passion to compose classical music.
Denny McShane (1976)
Denny comes late to the world of classical music composition, starting to take composition lessons in 2010. Denny’s musical studies started with piano lessons from age 12 to 18 under Louise Upton and a brief 2 year foray into violin lessons in high school under Donna Zimmerman. (Parenthetically his father was an Irish fiddler and his mother studied piano and violin). Denny remained hooked on the piano as his musical instrumental focus. After years of “playing” the piano, he resumed the study of the piano under Aileen James, DMA, in 2010.
While Denny is familiar with the various musical styles of the modern age, his compositional focus in based on the forms, harmonies and styles of the Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Late Romantic eras. Denny’s musical voice is concentrated on tonal music with and adaption of classical forms with occasional forays into humor, irony and pathos in his sonic creations. His primary composition mentor has been and remains Richard Altenbach with whom he continues to expand his compositional knowledge. He has studied counterpoint with Marc Evans (currently at Santa Barbara) and has worked with Jerry Grant and participated in the Young Composers Program in Nevada City in 2011. Digital recordings of the compositions are mastered by Paul Krashaaur at Para-Sight Records in Grass Valley, California.
Denny resides in Menlo Park, California, with his husband of 37 years, former California Assemblyman Rich Gordon.
