Snavely Daniel Swaim Sr., attended the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, for two years. Dan completed his Bachelor of Music degree at Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and earned his Masters in Music Education from Indiana University, Bloomington. At Indiana University, Dan was the first bassist to be awarded the Performer's Certificate of Music.

Dan's devotion to promoting the quality of education for young bass players everywhere was noted at least as early as the 1960s. While playing for the Dallas Symphony, he led an intensive six-week string program in the summer for students grades 3-12 of any proficiency which included three days of technique and theory and two days of chamber ensemble.

Dan accepted a position as Assistant Professor of Double Bass at Wichita State University and concurrently played with the Wichita Symphony.

Dan published articles in both the Kansas Music Review (December 1967) and Orchestra News (March 1970) that were veritable instruction guides for String Bass teachers.

Dan became Dr. S. Daniel Swaim after completing his Doctoral degree at the North Texas State University (now UNT).

The final post in his collegiate teaching experience began in 1975 as Professor of Double Bass at Arizona State University. At this location alone, he devoted 30 years of himself and his expertise to bass players from across the country and from other countries who came to study with him. For many years he played as a member of the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra and the Arizona Opera.

Dan or "Doc" as many of his students always called him, retired from Arizona State University and was conferred Professor Emeritus of Double Bass. He was known for his exceptional teaching style for 40 years at the collegiate level.

Even with teaching at ASU full-time, Dan still focused on education for the young bassist. He began developing Suzuki Bass Methodology in 1988 when he joined Suzuki Association of the Americas. In 1993, he became Suzuki's first Bass Teacher Trainer. His success with young bass students is widely recognized, locally, nationally and internationally.

He was recognized by ASTA as the Outstanding Studio Teacher of the Year in 2009. The International Society of Bassists selected him for the Special Recognition Award in the Young Bassists Ambassador category in 2017. Many of his former students now perform professionally in symphony orchestras including Atlanta, Cleveland, Milwaukee, New Mexico, Philadelphia, Phoenix Symphony, the Arizona Opera, and others.

Dan is pre-deceased by his parents, his sister Miriam Fielding, and his wife of 66 years, Shirley Leonard Swaim.

Also mourning his passing are his three children, his four grandchildren and his seven great-grandchildren.

There will be no services according to his wishes. I

n lieu of flowers, donations may be made to American String Teachers Association (astastrings.org) or to the Phoenix Chamber Music Society (phoenixchambermusicsociety.org) where Dan and Shirley enjoyed many concerts together. Dan was a devoted husband, a loving father, a talented musician, and a great teacher, and he has been called a "true southern gentleman." He will be missed by all who knew him.