Dani Howard facts for kids

Dani Howard (born 1993) is a talented British composer. She writes many different kinds of music. Her pieces are played by orchestras and musicians around the world. She was born in Hong Kong in 1993.

Who is Dani Howard?

Dani Howard is a British composer, born in Hong Kong in 1993. She went to school there at the South Island School. Later, she moved to the UK to study music. From 2011 to 2015, she attended the Royal College of Music. There, she learned how to compose music with a teacher named Jonathan Cole.

Her Music and Performances

Since finishing her studies, Dani has worked with many famous groups. These include the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and the City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong. Her music has been played by orchestras in different countries. She was also a special composer at the International Suoni Dal Golfo Festival.

In 2017, a big radio station called ClassicFM asked her to write a new piece. This was to celebrate their 25th birthday. She wrote a piece for a full orchestra called 'Argentum'. The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra performed it for the first time. This special event happened at the famous Royal Albert Hall in September 2017.

Awards and Recognition

Dani Howard has won several awards for her compositions. She was a finalist in the International Antonín Dvořák Composition Competition. This competition is held in Prague. She reached the finals in both 2014 and 2015. In both years, she won a special prize for her original music in the junior category.

Her music has been released on different record labels. You can find her works on NonClassical, Listenpony, and TYXart. Her pieces have also been played on major radio and TV channels. These include BBC Radio 3, BBC 4, ClassicFM, and RTHK.

Her Opera Work

Dani has also written an opera. An opera is a play where most of the words are sung. Her opera is called The Yellow Wallpaper. It is based on an old short story from 1892 by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. The words for the opera were written by Joseph Spence. The Yellow Wallpaper had its first performance in August 2023. This happened at the Copenhagen Opera Festival.

What Kind of Music Does She Write?

Dani Howard writes many different types of music. She creates pieces for large orchestras. She also writes for smaller groups of musicians, which is called chamber music. Sometimes, she writes music for just one or two instruments.

Orchestral Music

Her orchestral pieces are often grand and exciting. Some of her well-known works for orchestra include 'Trombone Concerto' and 'Argentum'. She has also written operas like Robin Hood and The Yellow Wallpaper. These pieces bring stories to life with music.

Other Compositions

Dani also writes for smaller groups. For example, she has a piece called 'Neverland' for a saxophone quartet. She also composes for solo instruments. One fun series she created is 'The Vino Encores'. These are short pieces for a solo instrument and a wineglass!