Dan Bradley is an award-winning London-based multi-percussionist and drummer working across theatre, studio and live performance. Originally from Brighton, he began playing live music at age 10 under the tutelage of legendary session bassist and educator Herbie Flowers.
Dan studied at the Royal Academy of Music, where he was twice awarded the Avedis Zildjian Prize for Excellence in the Art of Percussion. During this time, he also secured a coveted place in the European Union Youth Orchestra, touring Europe with Vladimir Ashkenazy, Gianandrea Noseda and Sir Colin Davis. Alongside his training in orchestral, contemporary and world/jazz music, Dan began to immerse himself in traditional drumming styles, travelling to Cuba aged 19, followed by time in North Africa and the Middle East, in order to further his musical knowledge.
He has performed as the drummer for the UK trio of American soul singer Garland Jeffreys, and continues to play drums and percussion for Welsh singer-composer Meilyr Jones. He was featured solo percussionist at the inaugural London Contemporary Music Festival, performing works by James Tenney and Brian Eno to critical acclaim. In 2012, Dan was honoured to be invited to work with Underworld on their electrifying soundtrack to Danny Boyle's London Olympic Opening Ceremony.
Dan's breadth of stylistic awareness and expertise means he is in demand across a wide range of genres, in the studio and live, working with artists including: Meilyr Jones, Garland Jeffreys, James Maddock, Kit Downes, Julian Siegel, Henry Lowther, Matthew Barley, Orquestra Mahatma, Audio Network, Underworld, Sangeeta, Cate Le Bon, Kuljit Bhamra, Joji Hirota, The City Musick, i Fagiolini, Paraiso School of Samba, Aurora Orchestra, BBC Concert Orchestra, BBC Singers, Choir of Clare College Cambridge, City of London Sinfonia, John Rutter, RPO.
Dan has extensive experience in theatre, working on some of the biggest productions in the West End. He is a regular deputy on The Lion King, Wicked, Les Miserables and My Neighbour Totoro and was the drum/percussion chair holder on the recent Disney/Cameron Mackintosh London production of Mary Poppins, as well as on numerous UK/International tours, including percussion/drums on Wicked, Les Miserables/Les Miserables Arena Spectacular, Miss Saigon and Mary Poppins, as well as deputising on Sondheim's Old Friends, plus appearances at Shakespeare's Globe (Much Ado About Nothing, The Tempest, The Comedy of Errors), Regent's Park Open Air Theatre (Fiddler On The Roof, Peter Pan), and Royal Shakespeare Company.
Drawing upon decades of playing and teaching experience, Dan continues to encourage and nurture musicality in young musicians and has delivered education projects and tuition for Junior Royal Academy of Music, Junior Trinity Laban, Glyndebourne, Aurora Orchestra and London Sinfonietta.