About

Daniel Benedict is a Philadelphia-based harpist and teacher who currently serves as the Principal Harpist of Symphony in C. Daniel is a versatile performer whose work spans solo, chamber, and orchestral performance, as well as improvisation and composition. Daniel’s aim as a musician is to spread enjoyment with music, create meaning through musical expression, and perform with the highest artistic standards. Although he originally hoped to pursue volleyball professionally, a transformative summer at the Curtis Harp Colony in 2019 inspired him to dedicate himself fully to music. He was soon accepted to the Curtis Institute of Music, where he studied with Elizabeth Hainen from 2020 to 2025 and earned his Bachelor of Music degree. 

In 2023, Daniel appeared as a soloist with the National Repertory Orchestra, performing Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco's Concertino for Harp. In 2024, he performed Henriette Renié's Harp Concerto with Symphony in C. During his time at Curtis, Daniel regularly attended the Académie d'Été de Nice with Marie-Pierre Langlamet. He was a guest artist at the 2021 Illinois Summer Harp Class with Ann Yeung and at Florida State University in 2026. Daniel has performed in masterclasses with Sivan Magen, Mariko Anraku, Anneleen Lenaerts, and Judy Loman, and has received individual lessons from Catherine Michel, Noel Wan, Sarah Verrue, and Letizia Belmondo. Daniel has performed under the baton of Michael Stern, Osmo Vänskä, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Tania Miller, JoAnn Falletta, Noam Aviel, and Carl Topilow.

Based in Philadelphia, Daniel maintains an active career as a freelance performer and teacher, sharing his music with audiences throughout the region while developing his private teaching studio.