PRESS

“Dave Soldier is an iconoclast”

– The New Yorker

RECENT REVIEWS

“Dave Soldier composes for orchestra in an evocative way that sets the imagination to work from the first bars, emphasizing warm and vibrant timbral combinations...a luxurious listening experience.”

– AllMusic (2026)

  • Dusted Magazine (2026)
    Review of Paiva River Songs

    The Wire (2026)
    Review of Paiva River Songs

    A Good Experimental Music (2026)
    Review of Paiva River Songs

    AllMusic (2026)
    Review of Vipers at the Onyx

    BBC (2026)
    Review of Vipers at the Onyx

    The Strad (2026)
    “Dave Soldier: How I completed Stuff Smith’s unfinished violin concerto”

THE NEW YORK TIMES

“This is a brilliant musical portrait of American composer and neuroscientist Dave Soldier. The music moves from eerie textures to lyrical passages and bold declamations…”

– BBC (2026)

  • The New York Times (2007)
    Chamber Music named one of the year's best classical releases.

    The New York Times (2007)
    Review of Chamber Music.

    The New York Times (2002)
    Review of A Soldier's Story at Merkin Hall.

    The New York Times (2000)
    “Think Tank; A Band With a Lot More to Offer Than Talented Trumpeters”

    The New York Times (1999)
    “One Life to Live? Composer Has More”

    The New York Times (1994)
    Review of John Cale with the Soldier String Quartet at the Bottom Line.

    The New York Times (1990)
    Review of the Soldier String Quartet at Lincoln Center Out of Doors.

    The New York Times (1989)
    Review of the Soldier String Quartet at Roulette.

    The New York Times (1989)
    Review of Walter Hilse on organ with hockets.

    The New York Times (1987)
    Review of the Soldier String Quartet and Elliott Sharp at CBGB.

MAGAZINES

“Dave Soldier is an iconoclast, trying to expand our idea of what music can be.”

– The New Yorker (2023)

“Artists are curious by nature.”

– Columbia News (2021)

RADIO

“Soldier says his latest collaborators come up with ideas he never could.”

– All Things Considered (2006)

“We’re finding what’s in our culture and channeling the people’s will.”

– This American Life (2009)

  • NPR Music and Nature
    Feature on the Thai Elephant Orchestra

    PRX Radio
    Interview with Dave Soldier and flamenco musician and producer Pedro Cortes on the album Zajal

    Timeless Music, WFMU (2011)
    Exploring the mathematics and physics of music, from musical fractals to white noise

    Soundcheck, WNYC (2011)
    Interview on the Thai Elephant Orchestra album Water Music with John Schaefer, Adam Gopnik, and Dan Levitin

    BBC Radio
    Interview on the Thai Elephant Orchestra

    German Radio (2008)
    Feature on Yol K'u: Mayan Mountain Music

    Jazz on the Tube (2021)

    RAI Italian Radio (2009)
    Interview with Nicola Catalano

    Speakeasy, WFMU (2009)
    Interview with Dorian Devins on Dave Soldier's collaborations with Kurt Vonnegut

    WFMU
    Dave Soldier and Brad Garton invite DJs Ken Freedman and Andy Breckman to perform brainwave music

TELEVISION & VIDEO

“You do it because you love it so much that you can’t not do it. You can’t stop yourself.”

– Nova, PBS (2011)

“When you hear the elephant music, you’re hearing what they mean to make.”

– BBC (2002)

BLOGS

  • MetaFilter
    Discussion on whether the Tangerine Awkestra rocks.

    MetaFilter
    Discussion on the Thai Elephant Orchestra.

    Montreal Mirror & WFMU
    Features on Da Hiphop Raskalz.

    Boing Boing
    Feature on The People's Choice Music.

    UbuWeb
    Features on The People's Choice Music and Soldier's Story.

PROJECT FEATURES

I assumed the elephant orchestra was a gimmick – but those pachyderms can play.

– New Statesman (2018)

“OFF THE WALL. It takes a lot of guts (and a lot of brains) to try to imbue northern Mississippi fife-and-drum music with an anarchic spirit.”

– The New Yorker (2010)