She was born in a musically prominent family, both her parents sang in Boston's Handel and Haydn Society.

Travelling to Munich, Daniels boldly insisted on auditioning for Bernhard Stavenhagen’s score-reading class.

Daniels recalls her experience auditioning for this position in front of a class of 30 males: "You could have heard a pin drop, the place was so still.

She started working as the director of Radcliffe's Glee Club and the Bradford Academy music program (1911-1913).

Along with her career successes, Daniels established different prizes and funds for composition students studying at Radcliffe College.

For 24 summers, Daniels would return to the MacDowell Colony and eventually be inspired to write one of her best known pieces, “Deep Forest, op.34, no.