Daniel Hughes

Daniel Hughes founded The Choral Project in 1996. He is in constant demand as a conductor, accompanist, coach, and choral clinician.

In addition to his work with The Choral Project, Hughes was just appointed the new artistic director of Resound Ensemble (San Francisco, CA), a small chamber choir based in Noe Valley known for their intimate, engaging musical presentations of a wide variety of repertoire from classical standards to world premieres. Over the years, Resound Ensemble has performed in the “Lou Harrison Centennial Concert” as part of the Other Minds Music Festival, the Masterworks Chorus at Carnegie Hall, and with the San Francisco Symphony in Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy.

Hughes has directed many sessions in Vocal Pedagogy and Conducting Technique for the American Choral Directors Association, the American Guild of Organists, the California Music Educators’ Association, and GALA Choruses. He has been a regular adjudicator for the California Golden State Choral Competitions and has conducted honor choirs and festival choruses throughout the West Coast. Collaborations include international performances with well-known ensembles such as renowned mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade, The King’s Singers, Canadian Brass, Lisa Vroman, Costa Rica’s Café Chorale, The Australian Voices, the critically-acclaimed San José Chamber Orchestra, and creative work with award-winning Broadway composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz. Hughes’ concert appearances include performances at Lincoln Center (New York City), Caulkins Opera House (Denver), Gusman Concert Hall (Miami), and Davies Symphony Hall (San Francisco). He has also conducted world-premiere compositions by many respected composers including Stephen Schwartz, Nico Muhly, Brent Heisinger, Brian Holmes, Mac Huff, Theodore Lucas, Richard Burchard, Eric William Barnum, and Joshua Shank.

Daniel began studying piano and composition at the age of four. He has extensive training in piano and voice and holds a Master of Arts degree in Conducting. In addition to the accolades he has earned with The Choral Project, he was awarded 4th place (Small Ensemble Category) at the 35th International Choral Competition, Gorizia, Italy; the 2nd place award at the ACDA National Student Conducting Competition; the Christina Cadena Memorial Accompanying Scholarship; and a California Arts Scholar Award for piano and composition. He is also a recipient of Arts Council Silicon Valley’s 2013 Artist’s Laureate Award (“On Stage” category), The American Prize Award for Choral Direction, and a 2010 Silicon Valley Arts and Business Award for 20+ years of excellence in the arts in the San Francisco Bay Area. An accomplished composer and arranger with a catalog of nearly 100 works, he has been a 2015 and 2016 finalist in The American Prize Competition for Choral Composition. His works are published through Santa Barbara Music Publishing, Gentry Publications, National Music Publishing, earthsongs, ArrangeMe, and MusicSpoke. Mr. Hughes’ biography is featured in Who’s Who in America. He also teaches voice and conducting privately in his Bay Area music studio.