Darrell Calvillo is an open class solo competitor, band leader, Western United States Pipe Band Association Adjudicator, musical arranger, studio musician, educator, and proprietor of DC Music with twenty years of professional experience in the music industry. He is a member of Celtic/World band Silent Planet and also performs as a guest artist with various bands and ensembles such as The Chieftains, Breabach, The Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, and the Blue Man Group. In the realm of competition pipe bands, Darrell is currently a member of the Prince Charles Pipe Band of San Francisco and has previously competed with competition bands in every grade. In the entertainment industry, Darrell has recently has been featured by Lee Whittaker, KC and the Wright Combination, and Robbie Bray and also been in filmings for Capitol Records, Amazon Studios, Budweiser, CBS, E!, and TLC.
Awards Western United States Pipe Band Association Grade 2 Band Champion 2008-2010 , 2015-2017 Las Vegas Highland Games 2013 Piobaireachd Champion Police Commission Distinguished Service Medal (LAPD) Western United States Pipe Band Association 2012 Professional Piping Champion United Scottish Society 2012 Piobaireachd Champion Alaskan Scottish Highland Games 2010 Champion Seaside Highland Games 2006 Champion Queen Mary Scottish Festival 2006 Champion 2002, 2004, 2012 Hollywood Christmas Parade 2001 Tournament of Roses Parade The obsession with making music started for Darrell at age nine when he first learned violin at school. During middle school and high school he performed with the Citrus College Summer Youth Orchestra and Claremont Youth Orchestra. Inspired by Riverdance and Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance, Darrell became interested in Celtic music. While in 8th grade, Darrell began to learn how to play the pipes with the Glendora High School Pipe Band, receiving formal instruction from Jeffrey Henderson and Colin Armstrong. During senior year of high school, began attending Citrus College to study music theory and performance. At Citrus College he began to learn baritone saxophone and performed in various school groups, including the Sierra Wind Symphony, big band, and Latin (salsa and cumbia) ensemble. Darrell transferred to the University of La Verne and earned his Bachelors Degree in Music. These musical foundations in combination with tutelage of pipers Murray Henderson, Ian Whitelaw, Seumas Coyne, and Scott Ruscoe have gifted Darrell with extensive experience in western classical music with specialization in the Celtic genre. For over a decade Darrell has been a professional music educator, instructing and mentoring numerous competition and performance bands, and scores of individual students, many of whom have grown to become successful musicians. |
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