Today we’d like to introduce you to Darius Edwards.
Hi Darius, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My journey as a musician began in church right here in Nashville. If the doors of the building were unlocked, my family was present. Because we spent so much time in church, I quickly developed a love for the music sang during the services. In fact, it was my favorite part about church. Our music team was incredible and the choir sang with a passion that always moved me to tears.
By the time third grade came around, I started playing recorder and enjoyed it so much that I joined the group that would rehearse after school. That group was known as the “Renaissance Kids” and had the entire recorder family instrumentation from the tiny sopraninos to the huge basses that stretched my hands AND lungs at the time. We would rehearse often and perform at places all over town like TPAC and the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. Because we were a huge group, we did not have room to travel with music stands so we memorized all of our music for performances. Having experience like that so young helped me grow rapidly as a musician. Once I became a 5th grader, I joined beginning band on saxophone. Because I already had solid technique from playing multiple recorders, those skills transferred easily over to saxophone. However, it took me a while to adapt to how much more air this instrument demanded from me. If I recall correctly, it took me about a week and a half before I could get a sound out of the horn. From there, I began to excel in all my music classes so much so that I did not really care about any of my other classes – I just wanted to play my instruments and perform with my friends!
The term “first chair” and my name quickly became synonymous as I continued to grow in my musicianship. By my junior year of high school, I became a Myra Jackson Blair Scholar at Blair School of Music where my scholarship covered private lessons as well as music theory and history courses. Being in that program greatly prepared me for music school at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.
My experience at UT was incredibly transformative from start to finish. I completely grew out of my “shell” and made lots of incredible friends who continue to inspire me every day. I also went on to accomplish much more than I ever thought I was capable of. Naturally, people would say I was incredibly talented, but I would always add that I worked tirelessly for my success. I spent many nights in the Natalie Haslam College of Music practicing until the lights went out just to be back there bright and early for my 8am classes and rehearsals. About halfway through my time at UT, I added a minor in music composition and got to write music for live musicians for the first time. I had been writing music since eighth grade, but never had anything actually performed before so that was both a treat and learning experience. As a composer, you learn pretty quickly that what sounds good on the computer and what sounds good live can vary greatly especially if you are new to writing. The important thing is to not become discouraged when things don’t quite turn out how you expect and to always show appreciation to those willing to play your music. Like any skill, you have to remain open to constructive criticism and keep practicing to get where you want to. I have so many pieces of music from my earlier days that make me cringe to even think about, but I’m proud that I can say that because that means I took a chance with what I had and grew from it into the professional I am today.
By the time I graduated in Spring 2022, I felt burnt out in every possible sense. I was technically a part-time student during my final year, but I was still in the building full-time while holding down a job. The question “What’s next for you?” haunted me on a daily basis. The answer was “I have no idea” but I was too ashamed to admit that. I had previously auditioned for grad school, but chose not to accept my offer because I did not feel like I was mentally ready for it at the time so I moved back home. I worked various jobs while continuing to build up my portfolio as a composer, educator, and saxophonist. The lessons I’ve learned over the last four years have allowed me to grow and flourish on the path to the life I want for myself.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I think I speak for most of us creatives when I say that our career paths are anything but smooth. A road like this demands your best at all times. Not a single person feels their best every day and that is okay. It is how you show up each day that counts.
Some of my struggles include lots of anxiety about my future and those around me, self doubt creeping in from time to time, and trouble juggling all the things I carry everyday. The same question continues to haunt my thoughts: How do I continue to build the life I deserve through the onslaught of bad news that plagues the world? I have worked many different jobs to keep myself afloat while maintaining my creative passions and it still is not enough to get me where I want to go. That is the most exhausting part of it all. I am more than capable of working hard for what I want, but it feels like my efforts are to no avail sometimes. I also struggle with feeling like I am behind in life in some ways. Still, I continue to keep my head held high. I consider myself “delusionally optimistic” and believe that things have no choice but to work out for me. I am inspired by the resilience of my people and that motivates me to keep moving forward when I feel down. How lucky I am to also be embraced by a community that constantly speaks life into me, lifts me up, and keeps my feet on the ground when I need it.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a composer that also specializes in designing marching band shows! I also commission new music for soloists, chamber ensembles, bands, orchestras, etc. My work has been premiered and performed at international conferences, featured across multiple publishing companies, and earned high awards in the marching band field. As a designer in the marching arts, I started my journey at Hillsboro High School where I wrote the entire show musically and visually. I also previously wrote for Lawson High School and am now in my fourth year writing the music for the competitive field show at Lenoir City High School just over in East Tennessee. I cannot express my gratitude enough to these programs for trusting my creative vision and skillset to help them be successful!
I am most proud of earning one of the highly coveted Fellowships with the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps this year! The Bluecoats are THE best marching ensemble in the world known for producing some of the most innovative, breathtaking shows ever seen on the field. Per the website, “The Bluecoats Fellowship prepares individuals for placement at programs and institutions around the country, paving a pathway towards a more inclusive world in the marching arts.” After being rejected last year, I was elated when I discovered that I earned a spot this year. My experience was incredible from day one all the way up to the final victory run at the Drum Corps International World Championships! I would do it all again in a heartbeat!
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
If I did not choose to pursue a career in music, I likely would have gone into urban planning or civil engineering. As a kid, I used to study maps and embark on “virtual road trips” through Google Maps Street View reimagining how I would design different cities in my free time. Even now, I think about how I would redesign parts of Nashville to be more “green” and pedestrian friendly. Fortunately, I have spent hundreds of hours playing a game called Cities:Skylines to satisfy that itch for urban planning!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dari_dee_maestro/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/darius.edwards.944/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darius-d-edwards/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@dari_dee_maestro
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/dari_thee_maestro
