Pianist/Composer/Educator, Don Glanden received a Bachelor of Music degree in Composition from University of North Texas and a Master of Music degree in Jazz Studies from Rutgers University. His private teachers included Bernard Peiffer, Sir Roland Hanna, and Kenny Barron. He is currently a full professor of music at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia where he heads the Graduate Jazz Studies program and is Piano Department Chair for the school’s internationally recognized jazz program. Don’s success as an educator includes countless former students currently teaching at major universities, writing for music publications, and touring with celebrated jazz groups.

Don has performed in concerts, recording studios, and clubs with many great jazz artists including Donald Byrd, Ernie Watts, Eddie Gomez, Terrel Stafford, Henry Mancini, Marcus Belgrave, Marc Johnson, Robin Eubanks, John Riley, John Fedchock, John Swana, Larry McKenna, Randy Brecker, Patti Austin, and Dennis Irwin. He has two compact disc releases as a leader. Only Believe is available from Cadence Jazz Records. Sudden Life is available from Amazon.com or Dreambox Media.

His activities in the area of music scholarship include presentations to the American Studies Association, the International Association for Jazz Education, and the International Trumpet Guild. He has had numerous articles published in jazz magazines such as DOWNBEAT, Jazz Improv, and All About Jazz.

Don is the producer/director of Brownie Speaks, the internationally acclaimed documentary about trumpet legend Clifford Brown. Brownie Speaks has been screened throughout the United States, at International Jazz Day in Paris and at the Monterey Jazz Festival 2016. Sonny Rollins has hailed Brownie Speaks as “a great film about a great man.”

In 2018 the University of Denver selected Don as its Visiting Marsico Scholar. The multidisciplinary residency included workshops, performances, and classes with students in DU’s Lamont School of Music, as well as Media, Film & Journalism Studies.