Daniel Taborda (b. 1990) is a Colombian composer–conductor whose music connects the rhythmic and cultural pulse of Latin America with contemporary classical craft. His catalog spans orchestral, wind ensemble, chamber, solo, opera and electroacoustic works noted for rhythmic drive, clear dramaturgy, and vivid orchestration.

His music has been performed across Latin America, North America, Europe, and Asia by ensembles including the Hong Kong Tak Ming Philharmonic Winds, the Colombian National Wind Ensemble, the ASU Symphony Orchestra, and the Orquesta Sinfónica EAFIT. Representative works include Symphony No. 1 (orchestra), Fansaxo (wind ensemble & saxophone), Los Charcos (saxophone quartet), Silent Torment (chamber ensemble or orchestra), Subconsciousness (orchestra), and Canto de un Pueblo (saxophone quartet solo & wind ensemble) Mental Demons (opera).

Taborda earned his Bachelor’s in Composition at Universidad EAFIT (Medellín) with Marco Alunno, receiving early recognition through Antioquia Vive la Música (2009) and Colombia’s National Composition Prize (2014). He later completed dual MM degrees in composition and orchestral conducting at Oklahoma City University, serving as Composer-in-Residence for the Oklahoma Youth Orchestras (2015–2016) and assistant conductor for university ensembles; his wind piece Iris was published in Europe in 2018. In 2022 he completed the DMA in Composition at Arizona State University, studying with Gabriel Bolaños, Jody Rockmaker, and Alex Temple, and in 2023 earned a postgraduate conducting diploma under Piotr Borkowski at the Akademia Sztuki w Szczecinie (Poland).

Recent professional development includes the Sigmund Thorp Conducting Masterclass in Taiwan (2025) and the Koutník Academy Masterclass in Mariánské Lázně, Czechia (2025), working intensively on Dvořák with Maestro Tomáš Koutník.

Committed to education, his pedagogical works—presented at festivals in Brazil and the United States—are consolidated under his artistic brand, Daniel Taborda Composer (former Alda Music Publisher), which integrates original repertoire, publishing, and classroom resources for developing musicians. He served as Composer-in-Residence and Conductor at Wycombe Abbey International School (2023–2024) and is currently a conductor at Nansha College Preparatory Academy, where he directs ensembles and contributes to the school’s artistic programming.

Taborda welcomes collaborations with ensembles, conductors, performers, and educational programs worldwide—especially projects that foreground cultural storytelling, rhythmic energy, and flexible instrumentation for a range of audiences.