Daniel Vella (b. 1985) began his musical journey at the age of six under the guidance of Mr. Edwin Pace at Għaqda Mużikali Marija Bambina, Banda Vittorja of Naxxar, where he also took up the trumpet. He made his first public appearance with the same wind band in September 1994.
He continued his studies at the Johan Strauss School of Music, studying trumpet with Mr. Joe Agius and theory with Mro. Paul Abela, while also preparing for foreign board exams under the mentorship of renowned Maltese trumpeter Ray Cremona. In 1998, he began theory lessons with Mro. Lawrence Borg, achieving Grade 6, and further refined his trumpet technique with Mro. Paul Borg.
In 2001, Daniel placed second in the Promising Brass category at the National Young Musicians Competition organized by the Society of Arts, Manufactures & Commerce. He later earned the A.T.C.L. (2007) and L.T.C.L. (2019) diplomas in trumpet recital.
🎺 Artistic Development and Performance
Daniel has participated in numerous masterclasses with international artists, including Prof. Ian S. Davies, Prof. David Strange, and professors from Vienna and German conservatoires. In 2014, he attended a 10-day masterclass with Reinhold Friedrich and Kristian Steenstrup. He was also selected for the VIBE community in 2016 and 2017, where he studied baroque trumpet with Richard Thomas.
He has performed with various wind bands, orchestras, and ensembles. During the 2004–2005 season, he served as second trumpeter with the National Youth Orchestra under Mro. Michael Laus. At age 16, he joined the Malta National Orchestra as a part-time musician, later performing regularly as third and fourth trumpeter in over 60 concerts under conductors such as Brian Schembri, Michael Laus, and Wayne Marshall.
Daniel is a founding member of the Big Band Brothers, a brass ensemble that evolved from a casual project into a prominent act performing across Europe and North Africa. He contributed to their album Ftakar, and also featured on Foot Stomb by The Riffs and Romantik Politik by No Snow No Alps.
A passionate theatre musician, Daniel has performed in numerous pantomimes at the Manoel Theatre and in local productions of Broadway musicals including Chicago, Seussical, Fiddler on the Roof (as brass leader, 2014), Matilda (2022) & Oliver (2024).
👨🏫 Education and Conducting
Daniel is an active music educator, currently teaching ensemble performance at the “George Vella” School of Music (Naxxar) and Għaqda Mużikali San Leonardo (Ħal Kirkop). He also lectures on Music Technology in Education at MCAST and served as a trumpet tutor at the Malta School of Music (2023–2024).
He began conducting studies under Hermann Farrugia Frantz and has led performances with both the 12th May Band and Banda Vittorja. Notably, he conducted the latter in concerts at historic churches in Rome. In October 2016, he was appointed Musical Director of Għaqda Mużikali San Leonardo, and in April 2025, he became Musical Director of Count Roger’s Band of Rabat.
Daniel has conducted internationally, including a 2018 concert in Mascali, Sicily featuring saxophonist Antonino Mollica, and a youth orchestra exchange in Madrid involving students from Serbia, Spain, and Malta. He also led performances in Noblat, France (2022) and Ischia, Italy (2023), and studied trumpet with Spanish tutor Luis Miguel Congosto del Pino.
🎶 Baroque and Artistic Direction
In 2017, Daniel joined the VIBE baroque ensemble under Teatru Manoel, becoming—alongside Jason Camilleri—one of the first Maltese musicians to perform on a Natural Trumpet. Their debut featured Zerafa’s 15th-century pastoral mass.
As an artistic director, Daniel led Rulina (2018), a collaboration between Għaqda Mużikali San Leonardo and Fondazzjoni Valletta 2018. He continued to direct events such as Concert at the Museum (2019), Żunżana, and Mel’ Isma’, the latter earning runner-up for Best Musical Composition at the 2021 Kwarta Tajba festival.
✍️ Composition and Recognition
Daniel’s passion for composition began in his teens through digital transcription and adaptation. In 2019, he released his debut album Ftakar, a collection of funeral marches. His Tarsena Suite was selected in a 2021 national competition by Fundazzjoni Kottonera and Għaqda Nazzjonali Każini tal-Banda. That same year, Mel’ Isma’ won second prize at Kwarta Tajba.
In 2023, his clarinet quartet Traffic Scents won first prize in the adult category at the International Clarinet Festival ClarEidoscope (USA). His international debut came in July 2023 with Lament, performed by Filarmonica di Firenze “Giacomo Rossini” under Mro. Giampaolo Lazzeri at Teatro del Maggio in Florence. In October 2024, his cantata Leonarordu, l-Appostlu tal-Gallja premiered at Mdina Metropolitan Cathedral as part of the 75th anniversary of the patron’s statue in Ħal Kirkop.
Daniel has composed numerous works for wind band, orchestra, chamber ensembles, and sacred settings, many of which are awaiting premiere.
🎯 Community and Professional Life
Daniel remains deeply engaged in Malta’s musical community, particularly within the wind band tradition, where he organizes masterclasses and contributes to national cultural initiatives.
In addition to his musical career, Daniel is a Product Owner at one of Malta’s leading software houses, blending creativity with innovation across disciplines.
danielvellamusic.com 