Be Yourself: an interview with pianist, piano teacher, and composer, Darren Day
I met Darren Day the “new”-fashioned way—on social media. He attracted me to his feed through his generous promotion of others’ efforts, his sense of humor, and the humble yet tenacious way he drew attention to his arrangements and compositions. He presented a marked contrast to the many musicians who post videos or announcements of their own work, but rarely interact with (or promote) others’ creations.
When I approached him about being interviewed for No Dead Guys, I didn’t know that, in addition to his many teaching pieces, Darren had composed and arranged quite a few lovely sacred choral pieces. His gift of writing for the human voice shows in his piano pieces, which are tonal and very lyrical. His sound world is one of joy and beauty—something I found all the more intriguing when I learned of Darren’s upbringing in Northern Ireland during “the troubles”, and his past struggle to be the man he was born to be. He’s proof that the past can be transcended, that freedom is found in living one’s truth, and that perseverance, generosity, and a great sense of humor can take us a long way. It is an honor to feature him on No Dead Guys.
What first drew you to music, and how old were you when you started formal lessons?
I think what first drew me to music was hearing my dad playing his “Hundred Best Tunes” on his 8-track tapes on a Sunday morning. There was something captivating about the Peer Gynt suite. I also remember hearing one of my brothers blasting out Beethoven Symphonies one day and Queen the next! I was also fortunate to grow up at a time when our primary school had a full-time music teacher, and she introduced me to a world of exciting classical music. I remember hearing Fingal’s Cave for the first time and being swept up in the exciting and stirring orchestral narrative.
Formal lessons on piano, for me, were ad hoc. I had lessons for a year aged 10, then was self taught until aged 15 when I sat under the tutelage of Hilda Dixon (who was my Primary music teacher!) for a couple of years. I did have regular formal lessons on oboe from aged 10-18 and also weekly Theory lessons from a dear Uncle who helped shape a lot of my musical growth. But I couldn’t keep away from the piano. It was my muse, my therapy, my escape, my freedom.
When did you begin composing your first pieces, and were they piano or vocal compositions?
I composed in my head when I was very young. I used to sing songs to myself while doing my errands, often with silly words. I just thought everybody did that!
I started to write things down for formal music exams at school and then at University. It was during a time when I worked for large evangelical churches I wrote more and had opportunities to have these performed in a variety of concerts and services.
You write and arrange music for piano, voice, and vocal ensembles. What composers do you feel most influenced your style?
I think there are many influences. Beethoven, Chopin, Mendelssohn, Finzi, Richter, Einaudi, almost any Pop song that was Piano based always grabbed my attention! I also fell in love with the music of Anuna, and earthy Celtic influences do seep into some of my work.
My favorite of your choral pieces (and a few of your piano arrangements) are based on sacred themes. What drew you to writing and arranging for this genre of music?
The draw to sacred music and arrangements came from a connection I had, and still have to some extent, with faith and spirituality. I grew up going to church and then worked in churches where I found great acceptance through my musical talents, though I hid and shamed the part of me that wasn’t accepted by most evangelical churches. So I became (like many others) the classic closeted, married, church music guy until my early 30s .
I’ve found most of your compositions to be lyrical, flowing, and poignant, yet not only did you struggle to acknowledge your truth as a gay man, you were born and raised outside Belfast during “the troubles” in Northern Ireland. How did these two things shape your music and your perception of the world?
My perception of the world was deeply flawed growing up. Growing up in a working class estate, you were subconsciously taught to be suspicious of people who thought differently to you, and being brought up to believe that what your church told you was right, and everyone else outside this bubble was wrong, didn’t give me a rounded or realistic view of life.
When I worked in churches I almost exclusively wrote sacred music, perhaps out of fear of revealing the real me. But since then, though I still write some sacred pieces, I also write pieces that came from within me and my experience. It is my story in the notes. One piece—Evocation—was written at a crossroads where I knew I had to remove myself from a work setting where I wasn’t actually truly free to be me. I drew (inadvertently!) on my love of the 1st movement of Moonlight sonata which I remember learning and finding great solace in as a teenage boy, and the influences of Minimal music are found here too. It was almost like a prayer to myself to break free. The piece is in Bb minor which I always find dark and brooding but ends hanging on an Eb7, hinting at that there is more to come, there is light at the end of what was a dark and very painful time for me. It has become a very personal piece for me.
As an adult, I tend to reflect more on Northern Ireland and our troubled past and current uncertainties. I recently wrote Remembering to engage some of students who enjoy more popular music, but also as a way to ponder places we love and people we have loved. For some, the current pandemic has brought terrible loss and grief, but also for people of my homeland, who have lost loved ones through the troubles. As we grow older, we naturally reflect on our lives, and I wanted this piece to bring space to reflect, ponder and remember.
I also wrote Belfast Heart as a tribute to the resilience and humor of the people of this great city who welcome people from all over the world, despite the troubles. Music offers the possibility to bind us all, bringing pleasure and even relieve our suffering. I know this firsthand. If I may also add, I find now that I want to celebrate this land more and not only reflect on the past. I wrote the Leestone Jig and Kingdom of Mourne to celebrate wonderful places and stunning scenery found here, and just a couple of months ago I was commissioned to write a new Hymn for St Mark’s, Dundela (where C. S. Lewis has strong connections) to help celebrate the Northern Ireland Centenary. It was a thrill to draw on my love of the C. S. Lewis’ stories and weave them into a modern, accessible hymn.
Most of your piano compositions are written for piano learners at all stages of development. What encouraged you to compose teaching pieces?
After years of teaching and having composed some pieces for other events, I took the plunge and tried writing pieces for my pupils and other learners. I had gotten myself to a place in life where I was content, but I felt I needed the challenge of something new and exciting. Teaching is something that can be enjoyable and challenging, and I always enjoy trying to keep lessons creative, so it just made sense to start to write pieces to motivate and educate.
One of the most challenging things composer face is attracting attention to their music, yet I became aware of you and your music through Facebook and Instagram. How did you discover the “secret sauce” of using social media to promote your compositions?
Oh I feel that I am still a learner in this field. I know, for me, I like to laugh, I like to be inspired. We are all bombarded with messages, emails and marketing from musicians, teachers and experts. There is a lot of serious information out there but sometimes we just need to have a good laugh.
We are all busy people, and rather than trying to impose my pieces on everyone all of the time, I try to bring some humor, or some inspiration to social media. Hopefully, when I do share my music, people will feel that they want to check it out as they resonate with something I have previously shared.
How did the pandemic affect your work, and what aspects of the online world do you plan to continue using once all restrictions are lifted?
After initial fear about what would happen, and losing some performing and teaching work, a good number of my students did move online and I started to gain new students. I also wrote more during this time, expressing my own feelings, desires and hopes. Pieces like Glimmer, Remembering, Hope Awakens, 80s Aspirations were all written during this time. But several more positives came out of this: I reached out to others for advice, and was able to collaborate with musicians on social media who performed some of my music. Also, a talented local musician arranged and performed one of my Irish compositions, and I was fortunate to have recently connected with a Duo and we have exciting plans to write together.
For me there will still be some lessons online, as I found they do have value, and I also found some students taking more ownership of their progress. I also encouraged some advanced students to record their practice sessions and send them to me. This is something I will carry on and continue to develop.
What future projects are you most excited about?
A recent collaboration with Bello Duo, an exciting pair of young singers with fantastic voices and great ambitions. We are working on new arrangements and original songs together with albums and concerts in the pipeline. I am also working on a Christmas Piano book with new arrangements of well known classics, along with a few original solos and backing tracks.
What advice would you offer to older composers struggling to promote their work in an online world?
Be yourself. Don’t be afraid to connect with others, keep learning, keep reaching out.
What advice would you offer to young people seeking to become composers?
Be yourself. Live life so you have real experiences to share. Learn from those who have gone before and never be afraid of making mistakes.
Darren is a knowledgeable and and skilled teacher with over 27 years experience teaching Piano to all ages and a busy composer of Piano and Vocal music. He plays and arranges music for several successful and busy adult mixed-voice choirs and collaborates with soloists for recitals and concerts in a variety of musical venues from Cabaret to Classical. Darren has worked as a soloist, arranger and composer for concerts and services across the UK. He is a Music graduate of the University of Ulster, where he majored in Voice, Piano and Oboe performance. Darren is also a Music Examiner for Trinity College London. For more information, visit his website.