photo by Liz Linder

Dan Hermes, born 1970, is an internationally recognized audiovisual artist, curator, composer, keyboardist, technologist, and founder of Dan Hermes Fine Art , the Hermes Orchestra ,and Lexicon Systems.  

His audiovisual works exhibited at the Athens Video Art Festival 2006, in Las Vegas at the HD 2006 Conference, the Festival der Nationen in Austria, and at a Zeitgeist Gallery solo show in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Self-trained as a visual artist, Mr. Hermes devoted years to the study of masters such as Van Gogh, Degas, and Daumier. His influences range from Jackson Pollock, DeKooning, Milton Resnick, and Picasso, to video artists such as Bill Viola. His work continues the lineage of Western Art in a 21st century medium: moving digital paintings set to music. artist statement

In 2004 his debut CD, Hermes Orchestra: Live, aired on National Public Radio and in Europe.  The Hermes Orchestra completed a concert series in 2003 sponsored by International Society at the Tremont Theatre.  Mr. Hermes scored six films for the Boston-based “Midnight Shorts” project.  He was sound editor on NYC-shot short film “Malefactor”, which screened at the Pawtucket Film Festival in 2003.  Commissions include Suite for Cello, Flute, Piano and Synthesizer for the Essex Chamber Music Players.  For composer Mark Perreault, Mr. Hermes produced a CD of the Newton Symphony Orchestra entitled “The Testing LP”.  Mr. Hermes DJed a rap battle for T-Nice Records in Waltham, MA.  He produced, arranged, and engineered pop, rock, soul, folk, and industrial dance music written by Kyra Marino, Arian Allen, Cameen Copeland, and Eric Kneipfer, among others.  Mr. Hermes performs solo piano concerts, most recently at the Zeitgeist Gallery, Tremont Theatre, and at the Essex Chamber Music Players Piano-thon. 

Mr. Hermes studied classical composition and piano performance at the College of William and Mary. Jazz composition, improvisation, music production, recording, and engineering studies at Shenandoah Conservatory and the Berklee College of Music.  Composition studies with William Defotis, Edgar Williams, Thomas Albert, Robert Larson and Robert Parris.  Piano performance with Claudia Stevens, Anna Balakerskaija, Ron Elliston, and Bruce Katz.  He has led and performed in the Blue Ridge Jazz Quartet.  Performances with Common Thrill, the Thomcats, Natural Blend, Feerful Heet, and the "Easy" Smith Quartet.  Performance study with Carla Bley, Steve Swallow, and Stephen Drury.   

With over twenty years experience in the software industry, Mr. Hermes is president of Lexicon Systems, Inc., a Boston-based enterprise software development firm, serving clients such as TJX, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, and Computerworld Magazine. He has taught software architecture and development at Northeastern University and at Microsoft in Boston, Massachusetts.

Author of the manual series "Classigroov: Modern Improvisation for the Classical Musician", Mr. Hermes has developed a unique style of modern improvisation called Classigroov and provides lessons and workshops on the topic in the Boston area.  In addition to writing art music, he also provides pop and rock production and film scoring services.