Damian Montano
Damian Montano enjoys an active musical career as both bassoonist and composer. As an instrumentalist, he has performed with numerous Southern California orchestras, including the Pasadena, New West, Long Beach, and Santa Barbara symphonies, and the Mozart Classical Orchestra. He has been featured as soloist with the Young Musicians Foundation Debut Orchestra and the University of Southern California’s Wind Symphony, subsequent to winning each ensemble’s Concerto Competition with a work that he composed. Damian joined LACO during the 2005-2006 season.
As a composer, Damian has been funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, and has received numerous concert music commissions from ensembles throughout the country, including the Houston Symphony, Chamber Music Palisades, Calico Winds, Wild Ginger Philharmonic, and the Albuquerque Youth Symphony. Damian also works extensively as a television and film composer. His music can be heard on NBC’s Emmy-winning daytime reality drama, Starting Over.
Damian graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Music degree from Rice University and received his Master of Music degree at the University of Southern California. His principal bassoon teachers include Benjamin Kamins, Rose Corrigan, and Jeff Robinson.
