Born in Sankt Martin im Innkreis, Danksagmüller received his first musical instructions in piano, organ and theory from his father.
From 1995 to 2003 he also taught organ and improvisation as a lecturer at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna.
Since October 2005 he has been professor of organ and improvisation at the Lübeck Academy of Music.
His projects include music for silent films in various formations among others in Copenhagen, Gothenburg, Barcelona, Porto and Tokyo, crossover projects with the singer Lauren Newton, bux21 on themes by Dieterich Buxtehude with saxophonist Bernd Ruf and Mozart deconstructed with composer Karlheinz Essl, an improvisation concert with cellist Dave Eggar (New York) on the Internet, performances in the Philharmonie Luxembourg and the Concertgebouw, at the 5th Filmmusiktage Sachsen-Anhalt [de] in Halle (Saale), compositions for the International Buxtehude Organ Competition,[3] the Elgar Concert Hall in Birmingham, the International Holland Organ Festival in Alkmaar,[4] and a performance for orchestra, live electronics and voice with conductor Martin Haselböck and Hollywood actor John Malkovich.
His chamber opera Nova - Imperfecting Perfection [de] was premiered as part of the 2019 German Evangelical Church Assembly in Dortmund.