Daniel began playing the cello at the age of 5 at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. During his time at St Olave’s Grammar School, Orpington, he sang in the choir of the Queen’s Chapel of the Savoy, while continuing his instrumental studies at the Kent Music Academy in Maidstone, the county’s specialist music school, where his father was Head of Strings. He was a member of the Kent County Youth Orchestra from 2001-2007. This youth orchestra is widely regarded as being one of the finest in England, and Daniel was Principal Cello in his last 2 years.
Since July 2007, he has been a regular deputy in the London production of The Phantom of the Opera, and has also worked with orchestras such as the Windsor and Eton Choral Orchestra, the Chelmsford Sinfonietta and the Worthing Philharmonic Orchestra. In June 2007, he graduated with a 2:1 degree in Music at Leeds University, which included a first in his final cello performance. During his 3 years at Leeds, his cello teachers were Anna Shuttleworth and Sue Lowe. Whilst at Leeds, he played the Saint-Saens Cello Concerto with the Leeds University Chamber Orchestra and he was principal cello for the Leeds University Philharmonia, and co-principal of the Leeds University Union Chamber Orchestra. He also played chamber music with many ensembles including Piano Trios and String Quartets.
Both his parents are professional cellists and Daniel has played on a number of professional dates with his father in the past 3 years. At one of these, they appeared as the soloists in the Vivaldi Double Concerto. In June 2009 he completed his Masters degree at Trinity College of Music, studying cello with Joely Koos, a regular principal cellist of many of London’s finest Chamber Orchestras.
Daniel has just completed the first year of a two year Artist Certificate Course at Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas. He is a major scholarship holder and studies with Andres Diaz, former winner of the Naumberg Cello Competition and world renowned soloist. As well as studying with Mr Diaz, he has weekly lessons on orchestral repertoire and techniques with Christopher Adkins, principal cello of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. At SMU, he has performed as Sub-Principal with the Meadows Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Dr Paul Phillips and he has performed with local orchestras such as the San Angelo Symphony Orchestra and the Dallas Live Orchestra. Daniel plays on a fine old Scottish cello, made by Matthew Hardie in Edinburgh 1810.