Known for his expressive playing and inventive, engaging compositions, Daniel Belland is an award-winning composer, pianist, and music director based in Edmonton. His music draws from extensive and varied influences such as impressionism, minimalism, musical theatre, contemporary jazz, pop, and folk music. Classically trained as a pianist through the Suzuki and Royal Conservatory methods, he went on to expand his musical palette with a degree in Jazz and Popular Music from MacEwan University. He is a versatile musician with experience playing and composing in a wide range of musical genres and styles. Coming off of a residency at the world-renowned Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, he is currently in the midst of writing new trio material, writing a new musical, and maintaining a busy career as a performer, accompanist, and arranger.
Daniel has won numerous awards for his original work, including the Edmonton Pop’s Orchestra’s Edmonton Composing Competition (2018,) Canadian Music Centre’s Prairie Region Emerging Composer Competition (2013,) and the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra’s Young Composers Project (2012.) His orchestral music has been performed by the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, and Edmonton Pops Orchestra.
Daniel is actively engaged in the Edmonton theatre scene as a composer, music director, and pit musician. He recently composed the music for Cult Cycle: A New Musical, which premiered at the 2018 Edmonton International Fringe Festival with Straight Edge Theatre. Other credits include playing keys for Company, music direction/key for Little Women: the Musical (Foote in The Door productions), original music and performing in Mormonic! A Latter Day Musical (Edmonton Fringe Festival), keys for Side Show (Citadel Theatre Young Musical Company), and music direction/keys for Evil Dead: The Musical, Bat Boy: the musical, and Ordinary Days (Straight Edge Theatre.)