Damian Rees was born in Swansea and attended the Royal Academy of Music. He studied composition with Steve Martland and Dominic Muldowney and, following his formal studies, received further compositional guidance from John Metcalf.   While at the RAM Damian won the Idoles Owen Prize and was awarded an LRAM. In 2005 he was jointly awarded the John Fussell Young Artist's Award from the Swansea Festival and in 2011 received the JC Guitar Makers International Guitar Composition prize.

 

Damian has written a substantial body of work that includes, concerti, symphonies, string quartets, an hour long piano piece and numerous smaller chamber and instrumental works. His music has been performed in many countries including Sweden, America and Japan and at a number of major music festivals including those of Harrogate, Huddersfield and Lidkoping.  His solo guitar piece Bram, played by Janne Malinen has been recorded on Pilfnik Records. Damian is currently Associate Composer with Crwth, which has commissioned and premiered several of his chamber works.