Danny Holt, who has local roots, is the classical music equivalent of an extreme sports athlete. He plays the Iron Horse on Wed. January 27th.

Pianist Danny Holt is one of a new generation of innovative young musicians ushering classical music into the 21st century. Hailed as one of the local heroes of the Los Angeles music scene, Holt brings his boundless energy and wit to unique interpretations of new music, 20th-century music, and obscure, unusual, and neglected repertoire. He is equally at home whether performing on the concert stage, in an intimate house concert, or in one of his elaborate multimedia performances where classical music meets rock concert aesthetics and a performance art sensibility.

Holt has performed nationwide in venues as diverse as Carnegie Hall, REDCAT (Los Angeles), MASS MoCA, Machineworks (Portland, Ore.), and Tonic (New York), and he has performed and given guest lectures at music schools and universities across the U.S.and abroad.In 2001, Holt became a Yamaha Young Performing Artist, a distinction reserved for only ten musicians each year.

He grew up near Springfield, and went to Hampshire College and taught at Smith College. While he was in Amherst/Northampton from 1999-2004, he developed quite a following and got great coverage in the local media. John Montanari at WFCR is a big supporter, as well as Jerry Noble from The Republican.

What critics say about Danny Holt:

"…exceptional…" -Los Angeles Times

"Steeped in the avant-garde and joyfully curious about music in all its forms, Holt is known for his simultaneously insightful and whimsical interpretations of the classical concert experience…a performer to keep an eye on." -The Springfield Republican

"…simply outstanding…The closing piece, British composer Graham Fitkin's 'Relent,' in its U.S. premiere…brought the audience—who had shrieked, shouted and whistled after many of the numbers—to its feet." -Daily Hampshire Gazette

"As a pianist, Holt is the classical music equivalent of an extreme sports athlete." -The Record (Waterloo, Ontario)


"Pianist Danny Holt has been blurring and bursting musical barriers for years." -Springfield Union-News

"Danny Holt aims to point out that serious music needn't mean staid and tedious." -New Haven Advocate

"If his upcoming concert of classical music is met with a mosh pit, pianist Danny Holt wouldn't mind at all." -Daily Hampshire Gazette

"An artistic maverick who isn't afraid to tackle tradition." -Sy Becker, WWLP-TV (NBC) (Springfield, Mass.)

"Expect the unexpected." -Amherst Bulletin

Praise from Contemporary Composers:

"Danny Holt is young, talented and on fire. He has the passion, the energy, the chops and the smarts to make it in this world. I am so happy that he plays my music!"
-David Lang, composer & co-founder of Bang on a Can

"As a composer, it's rare and incredibly refreshing when I come across a performer who seems to intuitively understand my music without any guidance. Danny Holt is indeed one of those people. Not only does he play with vibrancy, excitement and a deft touch but he tries to get right inside the piece and once there has the ability to communicate those other less easily described facets of music to the listener." -Graham Fitkin, composer

“Danny Holt is an outstandingly gifted musician, extremely bright, and a superb human being.” -Augusta Read Thomas, composer