When Artistic Director EJ Ouellette met Daniel Alvarez de Toledo at 11 years old, he was playing piano with no formal training. Daniel made up songs, added words and experimented with harmonies. EJ could immediately see and hear that Daniel had a natural tendency to create music. Daniel started studying piano with EJ, and later added voice, guitar, ukulele and composition. Daniel is now an aspiring recording artist with Whole Music.
Daniel says, "I started playing before I knew what I was doing. I was simply taught how to understand what I did, and it all made sense. Music opens the doors to my own creativity.
Photo by Dawn Kingston
“If it's inside of me, it has to come out. I don’t know where it comes from -- it just seems to be there! I love to create.”
Daniel’s first release from Whole Music, “Saddest of Realities,” is the first of many songs. Despite the title, "Saddest of Realities" is not about sadness, it is about moving through it. Daniel's second release, "Colors I Bleed" has just been released by Whole Music, and both singles will be available on iTunes. We invite you to listen to clips:
