Dan Moriyama

Born in 1975 to a Japanese father and English mother, took up the piano at the age of 5.  Three years later he won the top scholarship to study music at Wells Cathedral School in Somerset and at 15 reached the televised semi-finals of BBC Young Musician of the Year.  After leaving Wells he continued his musical studies at the Junior Royal Academy of Music, switching focus to piano accompaniment and electro-acoustic composition.  In 1994 he embarked on a new joint jazz/classical degree course at the Guildhall School of Music, studying piano with Andrew Ball and winning the Spencer Boney Memorial Prize for contemporary piano performance before graduating in 1998.   

Dan now works as a freelancer in a wide variety of musical areas including session work, teaching and leading music workshops, jazz gigs and accompanying of all kinds.  He particularly specialises in working with singers, both individuals and groups.    Work in the last few years has included performing with the world-renowned Siobhan Davies Dance Company, BBC Radio 3 concerts, piano/vocal duo gigs with Jimmy Somerville,  rehearsal accompanist for West End shows, and performances around the country as the pianist with Scottish song duo Goldie & Grant.    Recent work for TV, both on and off camera, has included playing in the band on the Pop Idol Arena Tour, and accompaniment for televised auditions and rehearsal sessions on Fame Academy and X Factor.   Dan also writes, sings and plays bass with rock band Tomokiyo