Biography

Daniel was born on the 18th of October, 1985 and started his initial music tuition at the tender age of 6 with Mr. Edwin Pace at the Għaqda Mużikali Marija Bambina, Banda Vittorja of Naxxar, consequently, he started playing the trumpet. His first appearance with the same wind band came in September 1994. Showing further interest in music, Daniel furthered his knowledge by attending at the “Johan Strauss” School of Music, having Mr. Joe Agius as his Trumpet tutor and Mro. Paul Abela in theory. Simultaneously Daniel was starting his foreign board exams preparations with well known Maltese trumpeter, Ray Cremona.

In 1998, wanted to further his studies and started theory lessons with Mro. Lawrence Borg, with whom he obtained his grade 6 in Theory. At the same time he furtehred his trumpet technique with the renowned brass teacher, Mro. Paul Borg.

In 2001, Daniel came 2nd in the Promising Brass section at the National Young Musician’s Competition organized by the “Society of Arts Manufactures & Commerce”. In 2007, and 2019 he obtained the A.T.C.L. & L.T.C.L. recital on trumpet respectively.

To increase and further his musical knowledge, Daniel attended multiple masterclasses, with international artists and tutors, some of which are Prof. Ian S. Davies, Prof. David Strange, and various professors from both Vienna & German conservatoires. In 2014 he attended a 10-day masterclass with world-renowned trumpeter, Reinhold Friedrich & Danish born Kristian Steenstrup. In 2016 & 2017, Daniel was chosen to be part of the VIBE community and took several masterclasses in baroque music and baroque trumpets with renowned baroque trumpet player Richard Thomas.

Apart from his studies, Daniel performed with various wind bands, orchestras, and bands. In the orchestral season, 2004-2005 Daniel was the 2nd Trumpeter of the National Youth Orchestra under the guidance of Mro. Michael Laus. At the age of 16, he became a part-timer with the Malta National Orchestra. In 2012, Daniel started playing more frequently with the same orchestra and kept his status as 3rd & 4th trumpeter for more than 3 years playing in over 60 concerts under the direction of various prominent directors like Brian Schembri, Michael Laus & Wayne Marshall.

Daniel is also the founder member of the well-known brass band, Big Band Brothers, which started in 2005 as a friendly gig to playing in big events around Europe and Northern Africa and performing in sold out concerts locally and abroad. Daniel was also part of the band’s album “Ftakar”. Another album in which he featured was “Foot Stomb” by the legendary Maltese ska band “ The Riffs” and also played in the album launch of another award winning album “Romantik Politik” from the band “No Snow No Alps”.

One of Daniel’s favorite music playing scene is the theatrical scene. In fact, he played in numerous Panto’s at the Manoel Theatre, both as an understudy and as a lead trumpeter. He also played in Broadway musicals in Malta like “Chicago”, “Seussical” and in 2014 he was the brass leader in the production of “Fiddler on the Roof”.

Daniel also enjoys teaching and in fact, he currently teaches brass at three different local wind bands, namely, Ghaqda Muzikali Marija Bambina Banda Vittorja of Naxxar’s “George Vella” School of Music, 12th May Banda & Social club in Ħaż-Żebbuġ, and at Ħal Kirkop’s Għaqda Mużikali San Leonardo.

Conducting is another form of musical expression that Daniel’s enjoys doing. Under the guidance of Hermann Farrugia Frantz, Daniel started taking conducting lessons. On various occasions, Daniel conducted both the 12th May Band and also Naxxar’s wind band, with the later he also conducted the band in a concert at one of Rome’s most old Cathedrals and in one of the parish churches in the outskirts of the same City. On the 17th of October, 2016 Daniel was chosen to be the Band Musical Director of the Ghaqda Mużikali San Leonardo of Ħal Kirkop after auditioning in front of Mro. Alan Chirchop and a delegation from the same society. In February 2018, Daniel conducted the Kirkop’s wind band in Mascali Sicily, having saxophone artist Antonino Mollica starring as a guest soloist during a concert held in the cathedral of St. Leonard. A week later, Daniel was in Madrid studying and conducting a youth orchestra made up of students from Scuola Di Musica Josip Slavenski of (Belgrade) Serbia, Students from CPM Adolfo Salazar of Madrid (Spain) and students from local wind clubs under the hat of Ghaqda Kazini tal-Banda (Malta), in an exchange programme organised between the three entities. Daniel conducted the orchestra and performed Maltese compositions and was also entrusted to conduct the Serbian concert. During the week-long exchange, Daniel had also the chance to attend trumpet tuition with Spanish tutor Luis Miguel Congosto del Pino.

In 2017, Daniel was approached from V.I.B.E. to form part of the baroque ensemble which under the management of the Teatru Manoel, perform baroque works during the year. In order to form part, Daniel and another fellow musician, Jason Camilleri, attended various masterclass session with renowned baroque trumpeter Richard Thomas. It can be said that Daniel & Jason are the first ever Maltese to perform on a Natural Trumpet, with their first performance being on the 19th of December, and performing Zerafa’s 15th-century pastoral mass.

In May 2018, Daniel took the first role as an artistic director of “Rulina“, an event organized by Ghaqda Muzikali San Leonardo in collaboration with Fondazzjoni Valletta 2018.

In 2020, Daniel graduated from the University of Malta from Wind Band Studies Diploma with a Distinction.

Daniel is also vividly involved within the music society, especially in the local wind bands structures, where he contributes in organizing masterclasses for local musicians and other national projects.

Daniel also enjoys composing and arrangements for wind bands and other forms of ensembles.