Daniel Steven Crafts has chosen to oppose what he considers unjustifiably dissonant formalism prevalent in late 20th-century classical music.
Known for his strong sense of melody, the composer has written a variety of styles including operas, orchestral works, chamber music, concertos, and satirical pieces.
Among Crafts' most well-known works is The Song & the Slogan, a collaboration with legendary opera star Jerry Hadley.
The work was made into a TV program for the PBS network and was aired nationally in 2004 with host David Hartman.
Crafts also created the first comic-strip opera called Too Much Coffee Man in collaboration with Shannon Wheeler and Damian Willcox.