Daniel Perttu's music seeks to develop aesthetic approaches to composition that were lost or overlooked in the rush to modernism.  Although his aesthetic perspective does not eschew modernist elements, it does hold that romanticism is still a vital source of unrealized artistic statements.  Though romantic at its core, his music draws from a diverse range of compositional materials, both tonal and atonal, rhythmic and free, and uses a broad spectrum of timbres.  In this aesthetic, innovation arises from the melding of the new with the traditional and from the manipulation of musical syntax and form.

Perttu's music has been performed in Europe, Asia, and throughout the United States.  Performances of his music have occurred in arts festivals, new music festivals and concerts, solo recitals at the international, national, and regional levels, Society of Composers conferences, and College Music Society conferences.  Recently, Perttu's music has been released on the Navona records label, and his recent orchestra piece is the title feature of the CD entitled Light and Shadow.  Critics have characterized this piece as “blending mystery, action, and excitement,” and have praised it as being “fantastic” and “superb.”  In addition, Perttu has received various commissions and awards from throughout the country.  He completed his doctorate at Ohio State, master's degrees at Kent State, and bachelor's degree at Williams College, graduating magna cum laude and as a member of Phi Beta Kappa.  He works as music composition and theory professor at Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania.