Dr. Daniel J. Grassi

Dr. Daniel Grassi (b. 1970) is the Minister of Worship & Music at NorthCreek Church in Walnut Creek, California. Dr. Grassi serves his local congregation as a worship leader, conductor, and music educator. Dr. Grassi is a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist (piano and guitar) with recording  credits in commercial, acoustic pop, and gospel music. With over thirty years of performance experience, Dr. Grassi has led successful music ministries in large evangelical churches on both east and west coasts. Dr. Grassi has performed collaboratively with notable Christian artists and composers, including CityAlight, Travis Cottrell, Sara Groves, Matt Boswell, Cindy Morgan, and Keith and Kristyn Getty.

Recognized arranger in the music publishing industry, Daniel's choral arrangements have been performed by school and church choirs throughout the United States. Dr. Grassi  has received "Editor's Choice" awards for his arrangements from national music retailer, J.W. Pepper. Daniel's twin brother (Thomas Grassi) is also an award-winning composer and church musician. Their guitar-based, vocal harmony duo has culminated in three original Contemporary Christian music recordings- High Expectations (1997) garnering the brothers Christian music industry recognitions, including the Christian Artists' Corporation "Seminar in the Rockies" songwriting winner ("Along the Road") and the Gospel Music Association's runner up in the pop performance category ("Living Prophecy").

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As a clinician and music educator, Dr. Grassi has lectured at Catawba College and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He has been a music festival adjudicator with the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI). Since 2022, Dr. Grassi has been an instructor for Foundations for Young Musicians—a music education program at NorthCreek Church that he developed. Dr. Grassi also maintains a private guitar and piano studio.  Dr. Grassi has studied voice and choral conducting with Dr. Donald Ellsworth, Dr. Julie Yu, Dr. Brett Nolker, and acclaimed music educator and conductor, Dr. Weston Noble. Daniel's doctoral dissertation (Ph.D. Music Education) focussed on the development of learner assessments and program curricula in non-accredited, church-based worship schools in the United States.

Daniel is a member of the American Choral Directors Association and the National Association for Music Education. Daniel resides in Clayton, California with his wife, Thelma Grassi, and they have two daughters.