Daniel Colalillo is a New York City based classical pianist renowned for his commanding performances and unique interpretations, praised for their depth and musical integrity. He has received acclaim from The New York Times and continues to captivate audiences with his dynamic style. He has given solo recitals at prestigious venues, including Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, Steinway Hall, Symphony Space, Princeton and Columbia University. His also has performances span major cities such as: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Nashville, Toronto, Montreal, & more. Daniel made his concerto debut in 2008, performing Beethoven’s 2nd Concerto with the MK Symphony only after playing piano for only 3 years. Since then, he has appeared as a soloist with numerous orchestras playing concertos ranging from Beethoven, Gershwin, Tchaikovsky and more. A dedicated advocate for contemporary music, Daniel has premiered numerous works for solo piano and chamber music. He had also worked with many renowned composers and most notably with composer Lowell Liebermann.
Daniel is the Artistic Director of Classical Keys, a chamber music series now in its 5th season, organizing concerts in New Jersey and NYC. As a chamber musician, he has collaborated with top soloists, doctoral artists from Juilliard, Manhattan School of Music, and Indiana, as well as members of the NY Philharmonic, The Met Opera, and Avery Fisher Career Grant recipients.
Daniel began playing piano at the late age of 15 and earned his Master’s degree in Piano Performance from Mannes College: The New School for Music, studying with Thomas Sauer and Eteri Andjaparidze, and holds a Bachelor of Music from Purchase College, where he studied with Paul Ostrovsky. He has also studied with MacArthur Fellow Jeremy Denk.
A dedicated educator, Daniel has taught masterclasses at universities such as Belmont University & NYU. He serves on piano faculty at Concordia Conservatory in Bronxville, NY and also operates a private studio in Manhattan, earning the title of “Top Piano Teacher” by Steinway & Sons. His debut album Mostly Scriabin, has been widely praised. Daniel serves on the Council board of Groupmuse, an organization promoting chamber music house concerts in the U.S. and abroad. Daniel is the Artistic Director of the Salon Concert at Klavierhaus.
On April 27th 2026 (Monday) Daniel makes his solo recital debut at Carnegie Hall, where he will be premiering Lowell Liebermann’s Piano Sonata No. 4.
Short Bio
Daniel Colalillo (MM Mannes) is a NYC-based classical pianist known for his dynamic performances of both traditional and contemporary music. He has given solo recitals at prestigious venues including: Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, Steinway Hall, Symphony Space, Princeton, Columbia University, and more. He is the Founder & Artistic Director of Classical Keys, a chamber music concert series in NJ & NYC which has featured top artists from Juilliard, MSM, the NY Phill and Met Opera. Daniel serves on the Musician’s Council Board of Groupmuse and was named Top Piano Teacher by Steinway & Sons. His debut album Mostly Scriabin, has been widely praised.
Daniel has toured major cities across the US and Canada where he has performed concertos with orchestras with repertoire ranging from Beethoven Gershwin Tchaikovsky, and more. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he launched the “Pandemic Piano Preludes” project, commissioning 5 composers to write preludes alongside standard and hidden gems of the repertoire. Daniel started the piano at the late age of 15 and quickly rose to prominence. Next season on April 27th 2026 Mon. Daniel makes his solo debut at Carnegie Hall premiering Lowell Liebermann’s Piano Sonata No. 4.