Our Staff
Daniel Tucceri
Music
Daniel Tucceri is a professional multi-instrumentalist who has been playing for 17 years and teaching for 7 years. Specialising in the four key rock band instruments (piano, guitar, bass and drums), Daniel has also received tutelage in both classical and jazz from noted pianists Alan Kogosowski and previously Allan Zavod. Both men have been an invaluable influence on Daniel's approach to music and teaching.
After having formal piano lessons from age thirteen, Daniel was offered a place at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music for a Diploma in Classical Piano after earning Dux in VCE Solo Music Performance. In 2014, Daniel wrote and recorded two solo albums (‘Tempest’ and ‘Impressions of Melbourne’), followed by a classical guitar collaboration (2015’s ‘Solstice’). Both of his solo albums have been volunteered to both the National and Victorian State Library Archives, as well as being featured at the State Library of Victoria’s ‘Bohemian Melbourne’ Exhibition. Included in Daniel's repertoire are masterworks by Beethoven, Bach, Chopin, Rodrigo and Debussy.
As a keyboardist for sessions at Goatsound and Incubator Studios, he has recorded on countless albums across a range of genres as a session musician for each of his instruments, as well as for charitable causes (2016’s STREAT Beats campaign).
Tucceri’s work on the soundtrack for noted artist and director George Gittoes' award winning film 'Snow Monkey' led him to be described by Gittoes as "a new young king of keys". This film was featured at the 2015 Melbourne International Film Festival to critical acclaim.
It also saw him working with Mick Harvey (Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds), Kim Salmon (The Scientists) and Brian Henry Hooper (Beasts of Bourbon), with Daniel going on to record with and accompany Brian for shows. Other musicians and performers Daniel has worked with include JP Shilo (Blackeyed Susans/Hungry Ghosts), Mick Turner (the Dirty Three), Raul Sanchez (Magic Dirt), Neil Hamburger (comedian), Danny Heifetz and Bar McKinnon (Mr Bungle) and Phil Franklin (Secret Chiefs 3).
Daniel’s work with busking, classical and experimental music has been featured on ABC Radio, the ABC’s 7.30 Report and The Age newspaper. The latter featured Daniel’s work with the Melbourne Drone Orchestra and respected drummer Matt 'Skitz' Sanders (Damaged/Gravetemple). The MDO is an open ensemble of guitarists working within experimental improvised music and was featured as part of Melbourne Music Week 2017 in a pioneering cross-cultural collaboration with Victoria’s peak Aboriginal music body, Songlines, at the newly built MPavilion.
Daniel's other live experience has included playing local pubs and classical concerts, theatre productions (The Man of La Mancha, Little Shop of Horrors), touring nationally, performing at the Soundwave Festival and venues like the Melbourne Recital Centre. He also performed at the 2016 Melbourne Awards, held at the Melbourne Town Hall, along with Tina Arena and beatboxer Tom Thum. His unconventional and incendiary approach to performing has seen reviewers describe him as an "eccentric piano genius" (Alan Bamford) who “decides to push the performance angle into the hellfire zone” (Jon Kromka).
Tutoring
Daniel is also available for tutoring primary, secondary and tertiary students in physics, mathematics and humanities. Outside of music, Daniel completed a Bachelor of Science and Arts at the University of Melbourne with a major in physics. In this time, he had the opportunity to take part in laboratory work at the Australian Synchrotron (particle accelerator) in Clayton.
Daniel also studied political science as part of his Bachelor of Arts and was given the opportunity to combine this with his interest in physics. In being accepted into the University of Melbourne’s prestigious Political Science Internship program, Daniel worked with environmental group Friends of the Earth. This internship revolved around shaping FoE’s renewable energy policy and how it related to various stakeholders the group engaged with, which the group continues to use to this day. For his efforts, Daniel earned honours at the completion of this internship.
After graduating from the University of Melbourne, Daniel worked as a music journalist for various publications and as a sub-editor for Heavy Magazine, Australia’s major alternative music publication. Tucceri has had his works published both online and in print for Heavy Magazine, Unbelievably Bad, Hysteria Magazine, Alternative Music Hub and Sludge Factory. Personal highlights include covering the Soundwave Festival for two years running and interviewing Alice Cooper, Ace Frehley (Kiss), Maynard Keenan (Tool, A Perfect Circle) and Al Jourgensen (Ministry).
If it’s an essay that needs polishing, or some problems that need solving, Daniel will help you find a solution!