Danny Ledesma was born in 1979 and lives in London. He is a composer and pianist who currently spends his time between writing music and playing piano for ballet and musical theatre.

He studied composition at Trinity College of Music with Andrew Lovett and Daryl Runswick and then at the Royal College of Music, with Julian Anderson. Whilst at TCM he won the John Halford Prize for composition and was awarded the TCM Trust Silver Medal for his 'outstanding contribution to the composition faculty 2001/2002'.

A keen piano improviser, he has performed in a concert series at the National Portrait Gallery. Danny has also written music for film - the short film Extranjero (dir. Tomas Leach) was premiered at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) in the Summer 2002. Forays into electroacoustics have produced the four channel surround sound work, Laughing II Long, performed at the Royal College of Art, accompanied by visual projections especially created by RCA students.

Past commissions and projects include A Timeslide Tango, 2007 for pianist Aleks Szram; Fire and Bones, 2005 for the London Oratory School Girls Choir; somethinG oN mY minD, 2003 for Sinfonia 21; Suburban Party, 2001 for TCM choir, commissioned by Stephen Jackson; and Gael Force, 2000 for electroacoustics and dance, a collaboration with Fiona Graham and the Royal Academy of Dance.

Notable performances of his works include;

Fire and Bones for girls choir and piano

            2005 – LSO St. Lukes, by 6th Form Girls Choir of the London Oratory School and Danny Ledesma

Dark Sky Under the Moon (1/4tone alto flute, b.cl, contra bsn)

            2003 – Regent Hall, Oxford Street by Carla Rees ensemble

Broken Lives for solo harpsichord

            2003 – Bangor New Music Festival, Wales, performed by Jane Chapman

Laughing… for large ensemble

            2002 – Duke’s Hall, Royal Academy of Music, performed by RAM Manson Ensemble

Seeking Structure for clarinet quintet

2001 – Barbican Hall, by London Symphony Orchestra clarinet quintet

Chandrasekhar for large ensemble

2001 – St. Augustine's church, South Kensington, by Trinity College of Music contemporary music ensemble

The Emperor of Ice-Cream II solo piano

2000 – Queen Elizabeth Hall, performed by Danny Ledesma

La∂geteona for large ensemble

1997 – Edinburgh Fringe Festival by the Steve Martland Band