Dan Cavanagh is the Pamela O. Hamel/Board of Advisors Director of the Mead Witter School of Music at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he is also Professor of Composition and Jazz Studies. An award-winning composer and pianist, Cavanagh has been commissioned by artists including Latin Grammy-winning Afro Bop Alliance and the legendary Patti LaBelle.

His work has earned national and international recognition, including the 2023 Grand Prize in the Social Justice Category of The American Prize. Cavanagh has released five jazz recordings as a leader and has performed throughout North America, Europe, Asia, and Central America alongside acclaimed artists including Irma Thomas, Adonis Rose, and Joe McCarthy.

Before joining UW–Madison, Cavanagh spent eighteen years at the University of Texas at Arlington. He continues to perform, compose, and contribute to the arts community through leadership roles with organizations including the Madison Symphony Orchestra and Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra.