The Austrian Composer Dirk D’Ase has established a growing international reputation mainly based on his opera and orchestral works. His most important compositions include 5 Operas, 4 Solo Concertos, Orchestral Songs, 1 Symphony. For the season 2003/04 he has been named Composer in Residence at the Musikverein Vienna. For this occasion D’Ase has been commissioned two new orchestral compositions.

In the same season his opera "Einstein in America" was premiered at the Opera House in Ulm Germany as the highlight of the commemorative celebrations to mark the 125th anniversary of Albert Einsteins birth and his Celloconcerto was performed at the Bregenzer Festspiele. At the moment D’Ase works on his 6th opera “Don Juan wird 60” (Libretto by Robert Schindel) commissioned by the Wiener Mozartjahr 2006.

D'Ase was Composer Of The Year at  Brussels Opera "La Monnaie" (Gerard Mortier), Composer in Residence for the Flanders Festival and the Conservatory of Music in Vienna. His compositions were performed among others at the Musikverein Vienna, the Konzerthaus Vienna, at Carnegie Hall New York, Juilliard School of Music, at Zurich Opera, Brussels Opera, at the Philharmonie Köln, as well as Bregenzer Festspiele. He worked with among others Sylvain Cambreling, Ulf Schirmer, Hugo Wolf Quartett, David Lively, Wolfgang Schultz, Peter Turrini, Robert Schindel, Herbert Perry.

Dirk D’Ase received major commissions from Vienna Musikverein (Clarinet Concerto), Vienna Konzerthaus (Burning Day), Neue Oper Wien (Brecht Orchestra Songs, Opera “ARREST”),  Concert-Verein Vienna (Feuerlicht...Nachtschatten, Celloconcerto), Brussels Opera (Ottetto), Klangforum Vienna (Violin Concerto), Ulmer Theater, Germany (Opera “EINSTEIN,traces of Light”), Hugo Wolf Quartet (2nd String Quartet),  Flanders Festival (Accordion Concerto, Footprints, Homage a Scott Joplin), Arnold Schoenberg Choir, Vienna (Das wahre Sängerleben), Vienna Operntheater (1st Symphony), Danel String Quartet, France (1st String Quartet),             Festival Antwerp'93, Cultural Capital of Europe (Opera “RED RUBBER”).

Dirk D'Ase studied composition with Luciano Berio, Friedrich Cerha and Krzysztof Penderecki.  D'Ase travelled extensively in the southern part of Africa and subsequently wrote a thesis on  south-east African traditional music. His travels and research in Africa have deeply influenced his approach to composition.