Daniel Rojas

Daniel Rojas is a Chilean-born Australian pianist and composer.

Rojas' work as a composer and improviser draws upon indigenous, folk, popular and classical Latin American traditions.

Rojas received a Bachelor of Music - Composition with Honours (First Class and Medal) and a Master of Music in Composition from Sydney University.

He later graduated with a PhD from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

One of his most widely performed works, Danza de Montañas for solo piano (2003), features the influence of Afro-Cuban dance rhythms as well as the music of the indigenous communities of the Peruvian Andes.

It is also the more widely performed of the two with performances by the Queensland Orchestra, Sydney University Symphony Orchestra and Kuringai Philharmonic following the premiere with the Sydney Youth Philharmonic (and soloist, Zubin Kanga) in 2006.

The Piano Concerto No. 2 ("Entre Ritos y Parrandas), commissioned by Ars Musica Australis for the Sydney Youth Orchestra and soloist, Konstantin Shamray, is more unorthodox in structure, starting with a pentatonic folk melody and gradually changing into a savage style.

based on the poem by Christopher Smart, Jubilate Agno.

Commissioned by Sydney Grammar School Music Association for the School’s Sequicentenary Celebration Concert.

This fusing of traditional Latin American genres with rhythmic techniques borrowed from Stravinsky, Bartók and Messiaen are also found in his major ensemble works, Danza Amarosas (written for the Kammer Ensemble in 2007), Mirimba for solo marimba (commissioned for Claire Edwardes) and Marimba Concerto (for percussionist, Claire Edwardes and the Sydney Metropolitan Orchestra in 2013).

Rojas has composed two piano concertos.

The Piano Concerto No. 1 ("The Latin Piano Concerto") is flamboyant and populist, with a tonal harmonic language and classical structure.

These two influences are combined with nuevo tango rhythms in his Sonata for soprano and piano (2010) and the solo piano work, Entre Bajos y Alturas (2011).

Entre Bajos y Altruas, commissioned by pianist, Zubin Kanga, features a partly prepared piano (evoking a thumb-piano in some sections and the percussion of a salsa band in others) as well as dense polyrhythms and rapid changes in metre.

Since 2012, Rojas worked as a solo pianist, performing music by Latin American composers, including Piazzolla and Ginastera, his own works, arrangements of traditional folksongs and free improvisation.

He performed his own Piano Concerto no.1 with the Sydney University Symphony Orchestra under George Ellis, has performed solo recitals in Sydney and Townsville and performs with Latin jazz, tango and world music groups such as Latin Kaos; Sonora Galaxia; Orquesta Los Mambizes; Tango Paradiso; Chai Ensemble, Jacana, Drumbeats and Tigramuna.

In 2012 Rojas released a solo album, Latin Piano Expressions, featuring his own works, Piazzolla's Resureccion de Angel and Histiore du Tango as well as four free improvisations.

The album was praised in the AU Review, and was selected as 'Editor's Choice' in Limelight Magazine (Oct 2013).

In 2015 Rojas performed with the North Sydney Orchestra.

He also joined the contemporary jazz group Alturas, was a member of the Mendoza Quartet and is the pianist, arranger and composer for Orquesta La Luna, a Sydney-based traditional and contemporary tango ensemble.

Rojas' works draw upon a variety of Latin American influences.