Daniel Alter

Award-winning musician and ambitious student with a multidisciplinary focus in classical performance, biology, scientific exploration, leadership, and community impact.

2025: Etobicoke School for the Arts: Nominated for National Scholarship at Western University (ongoing)

2020: Social Justice and Inclusion Award, Toronto District School Board

• 2024, Ontario Music Festival Association Provincial Finals: Finalist - First Place
• 2023, Frisbee Regional Championship Winner
• 2023, Founded M&M Academy – Math & Music Educational Initiative
• 2021, Ontario Music Festival Association Provincial Finals: Finalist - First Place
• 2019, Canadian Music Competition: Highest Mark in preliminary round, 4th Place in National Finals
• 2019, Ontario Music Festival Association Provincial Finals: Finalist - Third Place
• 2019, North York Music Festival: Best Senior Level Pianist
• 2019, RCM Level 10: First Class Honours with Distinction
• 2018, Ontario Music Festival Association Provincial Finals: Finalist - Second
• 2018, North York Music Festival: Best Senior Level Pianist
• 2017, Ontario Music Festival Association Provincial Finals: Finalist - Second Place
• 2017, American Protégé International Piano and Strings Competition (New York, USA): First Prize, Judges Distinction Award
• 2017, E-Muse International Piano Competition (Athens, Greece): First Prize
• 2016, North York Music Festival: Best of Grade 9 Trophy
• 2016, Ontario Music Festival Association Provincial Finals: Finalist - First Place
• 2016, American Protégé International Piano and Strings Competition (New York, USA): First Prize, Judges Distinction Award
• 2016-2022, Various Classes at Kiwanis Music Festival: Multiple First and Second Place Awards, Several Best of Class Awards, Age Achievement Trophy, Provincial Qualifiers
• 2016-2022, Various Classes at the North York Music Festival: Multiple First and Second Place Awards, Several Best of Class Awards, Provincial Qualifiers
• 2015-2019, Various Classes at the CCC Toronto International Music Festival: Best Young Artist Trophy, Multiple First and Second Place Awards
• 2015-2019, Various Classes at Kiwanis Music Festival: Multiple First and Second Place Awards, Several Best of Class Awards

• 2025, Winner of OPUS Solo Performance - ESA Music Concert
• 2024, Chopin’s Piano Concerto with Montreal’s Myriad Quartet
• 2024, Winner of OPUS Solo Performance - ESA Music Concert
• 2023, Moordale Senior Orchestra Mid-Term Performance
• 2022, Performance at Residencia Gardenia Retirement Home [Buenos Aires, Argentina]
• 2022, Moordale Senior Orchestra End-of-Year Performance
• 2022, University of Toronto Faculty of Dentistry Endodontic Program Graduation
• 2019, Piano Concerto soloist with the Canadian Sinfonietta Youth Orchestra at their 2019 Gala Concert
• 2019, Taylor Academy Showcase concerts
• 2019, Taylor Academy Chamber Concerts
• 2019, Taylor Academy “Playathon” Fundraising event
• 2018, American Protégé International Piano and Strings Competition Summer Gala at Isaac Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall [New York, USA]
• 2018, University of Toronto Faculty of Dentistry Endodontic Program Graduation
• 2018, Taylor Academy Showcase concerts
• 2018, Taylor Academy Chamber Concerts
• 2018, Taylor Academy “Playathon” Fundraising event
• 2017, American Protégé International Piano and Strings Competition Summer Gala at Isaac Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall [New York, USA]
• 2017, Taylor Academy Chamber Concerts
• 2017, Taylor Academy Showcase concerts
• 2017, Taylor Academy “Playathon” Fundraising event
• 2016, Toronto AutoShow on behalf of the Canadian Music Competition
• 2016, CCC Gala Awards Concert
• 2016, ICU of Mount Sinai Hospital
• 2016, 90 minute program with my brother as 'The Alter Boys' at a Fundraising Gala for the Paul Penna Downtown Jewish Day School in Toronto.
• 2016, Guest Soloist for the Shevchenko and Common Thread Choirs
• 2016, Taylor Academy Showcase concerts
• 2016, Taylor Academy “Playathon” Fundraising event
• 2016, Taylor Academy Chamber Concerts

Co-Founder & Leader – School Math Club "Mathletes"
Year: 2022-2024
Position Held: Founder & Leader
Details: Established and led my high school's Mathletes Club, where I prepared students weekly for the Waterloo Math Contest and fostered a deeper appreciation for problem-solving and mathematical thinking.
Time Commitment: 2 hours per week, 20+ weeks per year

Founder – M&M Academy (Math and Music)
Year: 2022
Position Held: Founder
Details: Founded M&M Academy, an initiative designed to teach math and music to young children. Created the website, designed promotional materials, and went door-to-door weekly with a partner to advertise the program.
Time Commitment: ~3 hours per week, 4-5 months

Clinical Volunteer & Hospital Shadowing
Year: Summer 2024
Position Held: Volunteer
Details: Shadowed physicians for 20 hours over a few weeks in various hospital departments, gaining hands-on experience in patient care. Observed and assisted in a tracheotomy procedure in an ICU, learning from professionals in a high-stakes, acute-care emergency medical environment.
Rotated through three medical settings:
Mount Sinai Hospital – Chronic Pain Clinic (observed pain management treatments and patient assessments).
Private Practice: Orthopedic Specialist (gained insight into diagnosing and treating musculoskeletal conditions).
Intensive Care Unit (witnessed critical care procedures and complex patient management).
Time Commitment: 20 hours total

Violinist – Concertmaster & Orchestra Member
Year: 2021-2024
Position Held: Concertmaster, First Violinist
Details: Served as Concertmaster of my school's orchestra, leading rehearsals and performances.
Also participated in extracurricular community ensembles such as the Mooredale Senior Orchestra, performing high-level repertoire in multiple concerts annually. Additionally, have weekly violin lessons and practice independently for many hours each week to refine my technique and expand my repertoire.
Time Commitment: 6-8 hours per week, 40+ weeks per year

Composer & Music Creator
Year: 2021-2025
Position Held: Independent Composer
Details: Regularly composed original pieces, experimenting with different musical styles and arrangements. Several works were performed in public settings.
Time Commitment: 1-2 hours per week, ongoing

Classical Piano
Year: 2009-Present
Position Held: Independent Musician
Details: Have practiced piano two hours per day, maintaining an advanced level of performance through consistent dedication and discipline
Time Commitment: 14 hours per week, ongoing

Visual Artist & Painter
Year: 2020-2025
Position Held: Independent Artist
Details: Created a visual arts portfolio to gain admission to ESA's contemporary arts program while also participating in weekly art classes from 2020-2022. Painting remains a passion, particularly in chromesthesia-inspired works, translating music into visual form.
Time Commitment: 1 hour per week, ongoing

Tennis Player
Year: Lifelong (Consistently since childhood)
Position Held: Dedicated Player
Details: A core part of my fitness and endurance training. While I don't compete formally, I play regularly at a competitive level to maintain agility, strength, and overall athleticism.
Time Commitment: 2 hours per week, seasonal

Saxophone Player
Year: 2024-2025
Position Held: Independent Musician
Details: Dedicated to self-learning and mastering the saxophone and introducing jazz to my musical repertoire, incorporating it into my daily musical practice.
Time Commitment: 4 hours per week, ongoing

Chess Player & School Chess Club Participant
Year: 2024-2025
Position Held: Club Member
Details: Active participant in my school's Chess Club.
Time Commitment: 1 hour per week, 10+ weeks per year