Daniel Pesca

Daniel Pesca is Assistant Professor of Piano at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) and a leading interpreter of contemporary classical piano repertoire. Previously, he served as Artist-in-Residence and Director of the Chamber Music Program at the University of Chicago, and he is the pianist of the Grossman Ensemble and co-founder of the Zohn Collective.

Daniel holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Eastman School of Music, where his advanced training focused on contemporary piano performance and collaborative artistry.

His research and performance interests center on the creation, commissioning, and dissemination of new music. He specializes in performing world premieres of solo and chamber works, often collaborating directly with living composers. His repertoire spans electroacoustic music, extended piano techniques, and interdisciplinary collaborations that integrate visual, theatrical, and technological elements.

Across hundreds of performances, Daniel has appeared at major venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Library of Congress, the Kennedy Center, and NYC’s Miller Theatre, as well as international festivals devoted to contemporary music. His discography includes recordings on Urtext Classics, Centaur Records, Oberlin Records, Nimbus, and Albany Records, reflecting a sustained commitment to documenting new works.

Daniel’s scholarly and artistic contributions have been recognized through invitations to perform with prominent ensembles including Ensemble Signal, the Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble, and the Aspen Contemporary Ensemble. While specific awards are not listed in the provided text, his premieres and recordings serve as active documentation of his impact on the field.

As a dedicated educator, Daniel mentors piano and chamber music students at UMBC, fostering the next generation of performers and composers. He directs and curates concerts that bridge academic training with professional practice, and he maintains active collaborations with composition faculty to integrate student works into public performances.

Daniel is a core member of the Grossman Ensemble at the University of Chicago and co-directs the Zohn Collective—an ensemble dedicated to commissioning and performing contemporary works—thereby extending his collaborative network across multiple institutions and regions.