MEET THE MUSICIANS

FRENCH HORN DAN WIONS

Music has been an integral part of Dan’s life since early childhood.  He began studies on piano at the age of two, composition at age five, and finally the horn at age nine. His performance experience is extensive, ranging from orchestral, concert band, chamber music,

and solo repertoire, to pop, show tunes, and jazz. 

As a Hornist, Dan has worked under the baton of such prestigious conductors as James Levine, Zubin Mehta, Michael Tilson Thomas, Manfred Honeck, Sir Andrew Davis, Charles Dutoit, Christoph Eschenbach, Kurt Masur, Lorin Maazel, Michael Stern, Stefan Sanderling, and Eri Klas, among others.  He has also toured with Dave Brubeck, Patti LaBelle, Aretha Franklin, John Legend, Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine, Carlos Santana, Kenny G, Frank Sinatra Jr., Patti Lupone, Leann Rhimes, Mannheim Steamroller, Clay Aiken, and Josh Groban, among others.  Dan has performed as a soloist with the National Concert Party (Chamber Orchestra of America) at the Kennedy Center, and with the Massapequa Philharmonic.  He was appointed Third Horn of the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas, and has been Second horn of the Chamber Orchestra of New York since 2007.  Teachers include Michelle Baker, Myron Bloom, Scott Brubaker, Tony Cecere, Peter Gordon, Michael Hatfield, Rick Seraphinoff, and Chris Wilhjelm. 

Dan holds a BM in Horn Performance, with outside studies in piano and composition, from Indiana University.  He is a former faculty member of the Westminster Conservatory of Westminster Choir College, Princeton, NJ, and currently teaches during the summer at the Summertrios chamber music festival.  He has been a participant at the FAME festival and the National Orchestral Institute, and is a current member of the prestigious Verbier Festival Orchestra in Switzerland, with which he holds a residence during the summer, and tours during the fall.

In addition to horn, Dan has successfully marketed himself as a cocktail pianist since his sophomore year in High School.  In 2000, he was selected to play piano at a reception held for the Dalai Lama in Bloomington, IN.  And, in 2004, he was asked to play a benefit concert on piano for the Guggenheim Foundation.  Dan has performed regularly for Nordstrom Department stores, Hilton, Marriott, and Hyatt Regency Hotels (among others), and countless holiday parties, weddings, Bar Mitzvahs, Birthday parties, and corporate functions.

Dan is also the owner and founder of Live Music Consulting LLC (www.livemusicconsulting.com), a performance referral network that bridges the communication gap between patrons, businesses, and independent musicians. He presently resides in Hillsborough, NJ, freelancing mainly in the NJ, NY, PA, and DC areas, and contracting nationally.