Louis, again he was interrupted in his efforts to complete his first goal of recording his original debut album. In the midst of the 1993 great flood in St.

Night Wind was the first of Don’s CD Projects. Not permitting multiple surgeries to keep him from his musical pursuits, Don continued to practice the guitar, study music, compose and he taught himself how to notate music. Fearing the inability of being able to play the guitar, he used playing it to his advantage, as physical therapy. He taught himself to read and notate music and he began the study of music composition.Ī left hand crush injury in 1993 caused him to realize the importance of formalizing his hand written original music. Then in 1990, he began to play again, this time with much more passion and interest. Most people who put down their instrument due to life’s progression typically do not continue and likewise, this biography would not be necessary if Rath had not decided to begin again. He continued to play guitar for many years until life’s influences caused him to put his musical aspirations on hold. It was from these beginnings that music became his prime passion and interest for personal expression. After a few guitar lessons, he began to pick out some basic musical ideas that were later to become his first musical compositions.

During his freshman year in high school (1970) he was introduced to the guitar by one of his close friends. During his fourth year of grade school, Don began to play an instrument known as the flute-o-phone and later the cornet. The biography of a composer must begin at the opening of his or her musical life including that of their respective application of music through playing and performance. It was from this early impression that he began to pursue his interest in music. As a toddler, he would sit in awe listening intently while his Mother played amazing music on a small Hammond organ. Thankfully, for all of us, there had been a few rest stops along the way! Time to recuperate, heal, think, plan and to begin anew.ĭon Rath Jr was raised on a dairy farm in northern Illinois. The road had indeed been long and contained many twists, turns and detours. A healthy lad was born to this world on that day who would later become a contemporary chamber music composer, arranger and guitarist. Pictorial Biography of Contemporary Chamber Music Composer, Arranger & Guitarist A Biography and Overview of Contemporary Instrumental Composer Don Rath JrĪ biography always begins somewhere in time and that time began for Don Rath Jr on January 14th 1956 in a small suburb of Cincinnati Ohio.

Cubase composing chamber orchestra