Damian Montano enjoys an active career as both bassoonist and composer in Los Angeles. He has been funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, and has received numerous commissions from ensembles across the country, including the Houston Symphony, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Dallas Wind Symphony, University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana Wind Symphony, Albuquerque Youth Symphony, Chamber Music Palisades, Vientos Trio, and Calico Winds. His works have additionally been performed by orchestras such as the National Symphony, Long Beach Symphony, Santa Monica Symphony, Culver City Symphony, Northwestern University Chamber Orchestra, Philharmonia Northwest, the International Double Reed Society Festival Orchestra, and the Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra.

As a performer, Damian is a member of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, and has performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, LA Opera and the Pacific Symphony. As a recording artist for film and televison, he has performed on scores by composers such as John Williams, Michael Giacchino, Danny Elfman, Hans Zimmer, Alexandre Desplat, James Newton Howard, John Ottman, and Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross.

While studying at the University of Southern California, Damian was featured as soloist with both USC's Wind Symphony and the Young Musicians Foundation Debut Orchestra, subsequent to winning each ensemble's concerto competition with a work that he composed. He has also been featured twice as soloist in performances of his Concerto for Piccolo and Contrabassoon. In 2012, he appeared as a headlining artist at the International Double Reed Society Conference, where he played the dual role of soloist and composer in the world premiere of his bassoon concerto Three Night Pieces.

Damian graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Music degree from Rice University, and received his Master of Music degree from the University of Southern California. His compositions can be heard on Delos and Capstone record labels.

Photography by Kassie Borreson  |  kassie.info