Bio

Daniel Montes de Oca Tellez (b. 2001) is a Mexican composer, choral conductor, music educator, and recorder player. His work is rooted in a practice of playful creative exploration, emphasizing the role of introspection and emotional vulnerability in the dialogue with oneself and with the world. His output is disparate in terms of genre, ranging from concert pieces to pop songs, film and videogame scores, electroacoustic installations, and digital simulations of the sound of water faucets.

Daniel has been fortunate to collaborate with wonderful musicians and ensembles such as Karen Ouzounian, Ashley Jackson, Eric Wubbles, Katherine Schoepflin, Dana Jessen, Laura Cocks, Osnat Netzer, Tawnya Popoff, Michael Kropf, Sebastián Espinosa, Alejandro Serna, the Aizuri Quartet, and Ensemble dal Niente. Likewise, he is grateful to have studied with great mentors such as Donald Crockett, Ted Hearne, Camae Ayewa, Nina Young, Salvador Rodríguez, Katherine Balch, and Nate May.

As a recorder player, Daniel has studied with Rotem Gilbert and David Godoy Arroyo. He has received recognition as a player of contemporary music on such instrument, including the USC Thornton Composition Department's Most Valuable player in 2024, and the Walden School Player's Award in 2019.

He recently received his Bachelor's Degree in Music Composition at the University of Southern California. During his free time, he entertains himself as an avid hiker, impatient reader of short stories, choral singer, and toki pona enthusiast.