B i o g r a p h y
Daniel Halbstein was born in Freehold, NJ, and developed an interest in music from an early age. He graduated from Westminster Choir College in 2012 with a degree in Music Theory and Composition, where he sang in the Westminster Kantorei, Westminster Jubilee Singers, and Williamson Voices, including on their Grammy-Nominated recording of James Whitbourne's Annelies. He studied composition with Drs. Stefan Young, Christian Carey, Jay Kawarsky, and Joel Phillips. It was here that he became a brother of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.
During the summer of 2010, he studied in Paris at the European-American Music Alliance composition program, where he studied keyboard harmony with Narcis Bonet, and composition with Michel Merlet, both students of Nadia Boulanger. He was awarded special recognition in both.
Later, he relocated to Rochester, NY, where he studied Music Education at Nazareth College. There, he served as the graduate assistant conductor and tenor section leader of the Nazareth College Chamber Singers. He also grew active in the local Musical Theatre scene, music directing productions of The Drowsy Chaperone and Bare: A Pop Opera for OFC Creations, and The Bikinis for the Downstairs Cabaret Theatre. He also played in pit ensembles for numerous other shows.
He has composed for choir, solo voice, woodwind quintet, solo piano, orchestra, and various other chamber ensembles, as well as jazz and pop charts. Several of his compositions, including "may my heart always be open," "Song of the Universal," and "All You Who Sleep Tonight," have been performed by the Nazareth College Chamber Singers.
In the fall of 2018, he moved to Long Island to begin teaching music theory at Syosset High school, where he remains today. He maintains an active life in Musical Theatre, appearing on stage in productions of Guys and Dolls (Rusty Charlie), 1776 (Richard Henry Lee) and Finishing the Hat: A Celebration of Stephen Sondheim, for the Sunrise Theatre Company. He has also music directed production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum for the Lukefest Players.
In October of 2023 he premiered Humanity Denied, his first original musical and a collaboration with lyricist/librettist Alberta Handelman, at the New York Theatre Festival.
