Joshua Paul Daniels (he/him/his) is a composer based in Chicago, Il. His music focuses on themes of the sharper edges of life. From a personal place this comes from his experience with bipolar type 2 and the deconstruction of his religious upbringing. On a broader sense, the world as we know it is not short on inspiration for the artist-as-activist.
While studying for his Bachelor of Arts in Music at Spring Arbor University he won their Composition, Vocal Performance, and Vocal Leadership awards. Additionally, he won Spring Arbor University’s 2018 Christmas Carol Composition Competition. He then moved on to earn his Master of Music in Composition from Central Michigan University. While there he won a second-place honorable mention in their 2020 Large Ensemble Composition Competition.
Since his graduation from Central Michigan University in 2021 he has set down roots in Chicago. Returning to composition in 2025 he was commissioned to write The Caged Skylark for CMAC: the University of Chicago Glee Club. He also had a performance by Drew Hosler with Vox Novus’ 15 Minutes of Fame and collaborated with Hope Arthur to write a piece for prepared piano.
He loves cooking, coffee, and his rabbit George Crumb! The composer and lyric bass-baritone was born in Port Huron, Michigan and is currently working on a tenor saxophone concerto for the 2026/2027 concert season! You can find him on social media @joshuapdanielsmusic or email him at joshuapdanielsmusic@nullgmail.com.