Mr. Bruce, Director of Music
Daniel Bruce has been at Peoples Academy since 2005, and has taught vocal and instrumental music to all ages. He currently directs the two middle level bands, the jazz band, high school chorus, high school band, and marching band. He formerly taught piano and music appreciation at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, as well as in the Barre and Northfield (Vermont) school systems. He is a professional pianist and conductor who holds degrees from the Hartt School of Music and Northwestern University, and is widely sought after as a performer and teacher. Mr. Bruce is a highly versatile musician, with experience that ranges from solo and collaborative piano to music direction in nearly every genre, from classical to Broadway to jazz. His performing credits include an acclaimed performance of Mendelssohn's Piano Concerto No. 1 in G Minor with the Vermont Philharmonic, as well as two-piano concertos by Mozart and Poulenc (with Alison Cerutti). He has also performed Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with the Montpelier Chamber Orchestra, Burlington Civic Symphony, and with the Vermont Jazz Ensemble (Paul Whiteman orchestration) - the latter two performances conducted from the piano. As a solo and collaborative pianist, Mr. Bruce has performed nearly every genre of music, from classical to country, from gospel to jazz.
In 2011 Mr. Bruce co-founded the Burlington Civic Symphony, a community orchestra committed to presenting high quality performances of great orchestral masterworks as well as newer works by living composers. In addition to his duties as founding music director of the Burlington Civic Symphony Orchestra, Bruce is music director of the Amateur Musicians Orchestra in Burlington, and has noticeably developed the playing caliber of that orchestra and expanded its repertoire over the past seven years. He has conducted several readings of orchestral masterworks with the Green Mountain Mahler Festival, and conducts the GMMF's annual New Year's Day performances of Beethoven's epic Ninth Symphony. He is past conductor of the Vermont Philharmonic and Barre Choraleers, and has taught students of every age from pre-schoolers to retirees. Mr. Bruce has also worked extensively in music theatre, having directed music and played piano or percussion in over 100 school, amateur, and professional musical theatre productions in Vermont, Illinois, and New York. Before returning to Vermont in 2005, he was Coordinator of Music for Syracuse (NY) Children's Theatre and Syracuse Civic Theatre.
In 2011 Mr. Bruce co-founded the Burlington Civic Symphony, a community orchestra committed to presenting high quality performances of great orchestral masterworks as well as newer works by living composers. In addition to his duties as founding music director of the Burlington Civic Symphony Orchestra, Bruce is music director of the Amateur Musicians Orchestra in Burlington, and has noticeably developed the playing caliber of that orchestra and expanded its repertoire over the past seven years. He has conducted several readings of orchestral masterworks with the Green Mountain Mahler Festival, and conducts the GMMF's annual New Year's Day performances of Beethoven's epic Ninth Symphony. He is past conductor of the Vermont Philharmonic and Barre Choraleers, and has taught students of every age from pre-schoolers to retirees. Mr. Bruce has also worked extensively in music theatre, having directed music and played piano or percussion in over 100 school, amateur, and professional musical theatre productions in Vermont, Illinois, and New York. Before returning to Vermont in 2005, he was Coordinator of Music for Syracuse (NY) Children's Theatre and Syracuse Civic Theatre.