Dan Montez was born in San Jose California, on August 15, 1962. He lived in the San Jose Metro area for the first 6 years of his life. His parents moved to Ventura, CA where he attended 2nd and 3rd grade. They moved again to Visalia, CA where he attended 4th and 5th Grade. Finally they moved to Denair, CA where he attended 6th through 8th grade. He went to high school in nearby Turlock, CA. While in high school, he fell in love with classical music, performing with the orchestra. In 1978 he began college (at the age of 16) and studied piano performance.
At 19, he served as a missionary for the LDS church in Portugal. He returned and attended Brigham Young University. He married on August 18th, 1984 (age 21), another music student, Melissa Brooke Onken. He finished his degree in Vocal Pedagogy in 1986 and then moved back to San Jose, CA where he finished his Masters degree in Vocal Performance with a minor in Portuguese, while professionally beginning his career as an opera singer. While working his way through San Jose State University, he taught at all levels of elementary and secondary education and and oversaw music curriculum at a number of schools. He taught at the opera workshop of San Jose State University until 1993.
in 1993, he moved to New York to further his opera career. He was represented by Lombardo while singing at New York City opera, San Francisco Opera, Carnegie Hall, and other venues throughout the United States. He had performed in over 50 productions as a lead tenor until the time his first daughter was born in 1995. At this point he decided to stop traveling on the road and form an opera company in Westchester County, New York, called the Taconic Opera (taconicopera.org). He became a stage director in the New York Metro area and by 2009 had stage directed about 50 productions. He was also a conductor, composer and pedagogue. He and his wife homeschooled their three children, Kessa (b.1995), Kylia (b.1999), and Cade (b. 2002).
For more info on his books and how to get them click here. For more info on his opera career, click here.
At 19, he served as a missionary for the LDS church in Portugal. He returned and attended Brigham Young University. He married on August 18th, 1984 (age 21), another music student, Melissa Brooke Onken. He finished his degree in Vocal Pedagogy in 1986 and then moved back to San Jose, CA where he finished his Masters degree in Vocal Performance with a minor in Portuguese, while professionally beginning his career as an opera singer. While working his way through San Jose State University, he taught at all levels of elementary and secondary education and and oversaw music curriculum at a number of schools. He taught at the opera workshop of San Jose State University until 1993.
in 1993, he moved to New York to further his opera career. He was represented by Lombardo while singing at New York City opera, San Francisco Opera, Carnegie Hall, and other venues throughout the United States. He had performed in over 50 productions as a lead tenor until the time his first daughter was born in 1995. At this point he decided to stop traveling on the road and form an opera company in Westchester County, New York, called the Taconic Opera (taconicopera.org). He became a stage director in the New York Metro area and by 2009 had stage directed about 50 productions. He was also a conductor, composer and pedagogue. He and his wife homeschooled their three children, Kessa (b.1995), Kylia (b.1999), and Cade (b. 2002).
For more info on his books and how to get them click here. For more info on his opera career, click here.
