When Hastings College alumnus Philip Daniel ’15 of Lincoln, Nebraska, released his first original piano album in graduate school, he hoped a few people might listen. Today, his music has been streamed nearly 100 million times, licensed more than 500,000 times for films, television, commercials and online videos, and performed for audiences around the world.
For Hastings College classmates and professors who remember him as Philip Zach, however, one question comes up before they even press play: Why does he now go by the professional name Philip Daniel?
“My full name is Philip Daniel Zach. I have a cousin who has the same first and last name as me, and he’s also a full-time musician in Lincoln,” Daniel said. “Early on, I realized that would raise issues with releasing music and trying to differentiate myself.”
The name may have changed professionally, but the path began long before college. Daniel started playing piano at age six in California. His family later moved to Grand Island, Nebraska, and he learned about Hastings College.
“I heard through the grapevine how prestigious the music program was,” he said. “I participated in the Gladys Frisch Harris Piano Festival when I was in high school and met and played for the faculty. I loved how small the College was. There were incredible and hardworking students and faculty who inspired me to work hard myself.”
One Hastings College professor, in particular, proved transformational.
“I came in a little behind the eight ball in terms of where I needed to be to do music for a living,” Daniel said. “I got handed to Dr. [Jonathan] Sokasits, and he pushed me to work exceptionally hard and dedicate my life to music, which enabled me to go on to graduate school and do what I do now.”
Daniel earned a bachelor’s degree in piano performance and pedagogy in 2015 before completing a master’s degree in classical piano performance at the University of Missouri–Kansas City. Graduate school introduced him to modern classical composers and opened a door he hadn’t expected.
“I started dabbling in composition and released a piano album [Gradient] on Spotify,” he said. “It did really well and had a couple million streams. I realized maybe there’s a way to do this for a living.”
From a Nebraska basement to international stages
Much of Daniel’s music is created in the recording studio in the basement of his Lincoln home. While piano remains central to his performances, he now composes orchestral, electronic and hybrid works using digital production software.
Describing himself as a neoclassical composer, Daniel creates music for films, choreographers, ballet companies and dance organizations around the world. His scores have appeared in television series, documentaries and films on Hulu, Amazon Prime and Netflix, including Living Undocumented, the six-part Netflix documentary co-produced by Selena Gomez.
His live performances blend piano, electronics, live looping and synchronized visuals. He performs more than 50 concerts each year throughout the United States and international locations like Iceland and South Korea.
“In 2025 I was commissioned to write custom music for South Korea’s first ever modern ballet company,” Daniel said. “They found me on Instagram and flew me over, and I performed my music in front of 10,000 people at a massive theater in downtown Seoul.”
This past spring, Daniel returned to Hastings for a performance at The Lark, a community event center, with his friend and fellow Hastings College alumnus Andrew Vrbas ’12, founder of Pacha Soap. Together, they paired original music with custom fragrances dispersed by fans over the audience, creating a multisensory concert experience.
Building a career one commission at a time
After releasing his first album on Spotify, success came early and unexpectedly, and streaming provided the initial impetus for Daniel’s composing career.
“I was fortunate to have a couple of my songs put on massive playlists,” he said. “Overnight I was getting 50,000 streams a day. I was shocked there was a market for solo piano and instrumental music.”
Streaming continues to provide some income, and he sells CDs at his live performances, but most of Daniel’s current business comes from commissioned works.
“Over the years it’s been a slow grind. I reached out to a ton of people and developed relationships. Now people come back when they need new music,” Daniel said. “I compose, record, mix, master and distribute everything myself,” he said. “It blew me away how much reach you can have while still owning everything you create.”
For Hastings College students hoping to follow a similar path, Daniel’s advice extends beyond honing their musical talents.
“Start networking with people who could use your services. Most of my business comes through Instagram. But more important than talent is being responsible, working hard, going above and beyond, and being a kind person. If people enjoy working with you, they’ll come back,” he said.
Looking ahead, Daniel’s goal is to grow as an artist and keep making music on his own terms.
“If I can keep doing this – taking on bigger commissions, playing bigger venues and being more selective about the projects I accept – that would be the goal,” he said. “It’s pretty amazing that I get to wake up every day and do what I love.”