Dan Poynton was born in Wellington, New Zealand. His first major musical recognition came while at school when he won the Composition Prize at the 1983 National Westpac School Music Competition. In 1986 he was a finalist in the TVNZ Young Musicians’ Competition and the National Christchurch Concerto Competition. In 1988 he was awarded first prize in the National Kerikeri Piano Competition.

After study in New Zealand and postgraduate study in Australia, Poynton spent several years travelling the world. In 1997, he re-established his reputation and career with You Hit Him He Cry Out, a recording of New Zealand piano music which won the Classical Award in the 1998 New Zealand Music Awards.

Poynton is known as a champion of New Zealand piano music and has been in significant demand throughout Australasia, Asia and Europe especially for his solo piano recital programmes as well as for his appearances with the sopranos Deborah Wai Kapohe (New Zealand) and Sylvia Nopper (Germany). He was chosen as the sole representative from New Zealand to perform a concert of music in June 1999 at the Sydney Opera House as part of that year’s International Association of Music Information Centres’ Conference.

In recent years, Poynton has performed in the Bangkok New Music Festival, the New Music New Zealand Festival in Edinburgh, the Sonorities Festival in Ireland and the Ijsbreker Festival in Amsterdam as well as in Malaysia, Germany, Switzerland, India, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Poynton tours extensively as a solo artist throughout New Zealand, and has been involved in collaborations with other musicians – including Gareth Farr and Mark Menzies – and a number of recording projects. As well as a pianist he is also known as a composer, and his recitals often include his own works.