Daniel Thomas

Born in Abergavenny and raised in Rhymney in the valleys of South Wales, Daniel effectively started his musical association with brass bands when he signed up for peripatetic brass lessons in Blaenau Gwent at Abertillery Comprehensive. His first band was the now reformed Ebbw Vale Town Band, a local fourth-section band that regularly came recruiting into local schools.

Daniel competed in his first National Finals in 2009, aged just fifteen sitting on principal euphonium. 2009 was also the year that he successfully auditioned for the National Youth Brass Band of Wales and worked with such distinguished musicians as Stephen Cobb, Nicholas Childs, and Edward Gregson.

In 2010, he won the local Caerphilly Young Musician of The Year competition, beating 140 musicians from schools throughout South Wales. 2010 was also the year that Daniel joined the Cory Band, spending a fulfilling year in the band before sadly leaving due to academic commitments. He transferred to play for local rivals,

Tredegar, and is very proud to have participated in the band’s British Open win of 2013, achieving the Best Euphonium prize on this memorable day.

Following another spell with the Cory Band, he moved to Manchester to study at the Royal Northern College of Music. He joined the Black Dyke Band, taking over from Ian Yates as the band’s second euphonium.

Since starting his studies in Manchester, Daniel has participated in and won both the BBC Radio 2 Young Brass Award and the Euphonium Artist Competition at the ITEC (International Tuba Euphonium Conference) festival, held in Knoxville, Tennessee.

He became Black Dyke’s Solo Euphonium in December 2016, occupying the seat previously held by many of his playing idols. In 2017, Daniel won the Best Instrumentalist prize at the Yorkshire Regional Championships, and in 2019, he was awarded the Geoff Whitham award as the outstanding euphonium player at the British Open Championships.

In 2020, Daniel graduated from the RNCM with a Distinction in his Master’s degree.

2023 saw Daniel leave Black Dyke to pursue a different career and has re-joined again, on 2nd euphonium at the world’s no,1 brass band – The Cory Band. Now providing Dan the unique opportunity to focus on his international soloist performances and inspiring the next generation of Euphonium players, not only across the UK, but around the world.