Damian was born in Swansea, South Wales. He is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Music in London where he studied with Steve Martland and Christopher Brown. Damian has been awarded numerous prizes for his compositions including the Idoles Owen Prize in 1997 (from the RAM), the John Fussell Young Artist's Award from the Swansea Festival in 2005 and first prize in the JC Guitars composer competition in 2011.