Biography
Darin Lewis began his musical studies at the age of seven. He attended Northwestern University, where he was a student of Russian pianist Carmen Or. Upon her urging, he continued his studies with Daniel Pollack at the University of Southern California, where he graduated cum laude. Upon his graduation, he was awarded a Rotary Scholarship, allowing him to do post-graduate work at the Royal Northern College of Music in England with Sulamita Aronovsky. While in England, Dr. Lewis made his orchestral debut with the New-Castle-under-Lyme Orchestra playing Mozart. When he returned to the United States, Dr. Lewis began work on his Master’s degree in Piano Performance at Yale University, where he was the recipient of the Catherine Winchell Scholarship as a student of Peter Frankl. At Yale, with the encouragement and guidance of Ezra Laderman and Joan Panetti, Dr. Lewis began to further explore his abilities as a composer. In 1990, Mr. Lewis conducted performances of his Requiem at Yale and in California. In 1991, after graduating from Yale, Dr. Lewis received a Teaching Fellowship at the City College of New York, where he began working on a Master’s degree in composition with the Pulitzer Prize-winning composer David Del Tredici. At City College, Lewis’ Revelation, (a setting of the Book of Revelations, for soprano soloist, choir and orchestra), was premiered. Upon his graduation in 1993, Dr. Lewis joined the music faculty of the Horace Mann School. During his tenure at Horace Mann, he composed numerous works for the Orchestra, Concert Band, Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, and Choral groups. Lewis completed his Doctorate in Music Education at Boston University in 2016.
He is an active composer with works being performed throughout the United States having been performed by St. Olaf, Sons Florida’s Singing Sons, and the Boston Pops and at venues such as Alice Tully Hall, Southwark Cathedral, Alliance Française, and Carnegie Hall.
His conducting has taken him across Europe and the U.S. including London, Paris, Rome, Berlin, Vienna, Florence, Budapest and Prague.
Darin is passionate about teaching and developing skills in students that they can draw on throughout their lives. Teaching life skill and social skills is at the core of his teaching philosophy. That desire to incorporate utilitarian values in his teaching influenced his doctoral research, which focused on adults who participated in the high school orchestra and what effect that had on their behaviours as adults. He has been recognized as an outstanding educator and motivator. In addition to being the Minster of Music at Trinity Lutheran Church, in Robesonia, PA, he is on the faculty of Lehigh University. He is in demand as a composer, conductor and clinician and has been a consultant for music festivals in the U.S. and in Austria.
Darin as composer
Commissioned by numerous organizations, Darin Lewis’ works have been heard throughout the United States. Some highlights of his choral writing include Music, for the Soul Within, for choir, piano and strings, Hodie, for Women’s choir, piano and violin, We Are the Music Makers, (SATB/piano), Song of Solomon, commemorating the 300th anniversary of the town of Needham, MA, which after its premiere was subsequently performed by the Boston Pops under the direction of Keith Lockhart, and Veritas! for mixed choir, children’s choir, and violin solo, which was premiered at Carnegie Hall.
Dr Lewis’ instrumental works have been performed throughout Europe and the East Coast, including Cadogan Hall, London, Alice Tully Hall, New York City, Il Duomo, in Florence, Alliance Francaise, in New York, and the Konzerthalle Ulrichskirsche, in Hallé. Dr. Lewis publishes his own work through his company Lewis INK Press, and has pieces with OCP, and Alfred Music Publishing.
Dr Lewis has been a consultant for music festivals in the U.S. and Austria and adjudicates for WorldStrides on the East Coast. Currently, he is on the faculty of Lehigh University.
Darin as conductor
As a Choral Conductor…
Currently on the faculty at Lehigh University, Dr. Darin Lewis has extensive experience conducting choral and instrumental ensembles. From founding the Manchester Chorale while studying at the Royal Northern College of Music on a Rotary Scholarship to being a guest conductor with the h Rush-Henrietta School in New York, to the Jenny Lin Foundation in California, he is developing a growing reputation as an experience, invigorating, and inspiring choral director. He has studied with noted choral pedagogues and conductors Dr. Charlene Archibeque, Dr. Robert Harris, and Rodney Eichenberger. He has been a consultant for music festivals in the U.S. and Austria and adjudicates for WorldStrides Festivals on the East Coast. He holds degrees from USC, City College in New York and Yale University, and a Doctorate in Music Education from Boston University. Mr Lewis is the Minister of Music at Trinity Lutheran Church in Robesonia, PA.
As an Orchestra Conductor…
A prize winner in the Orchestral Conducting Professional Division of the American Prize in 2013, Darin Lewis has conducted at major venues throughout the Eastern United States, including performances at Alice Tully Hall, Columbia University, St. Bartholomew’s Church, Grace Church and the Alliance Française with the Little Orchestra Society of New York. He has toured England, France, Italy, Spain, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Austria, Argentina, Uruguay, and Germany with performances at major venues in Paris, Barcelona, Florence, Rome, Leipzig, Halle, London, Buenos Aires and Berlin. He has been a guest conductor with numerous ensembles and has been invited several times to conduct at the Music Educator’s Eastern Division Regional Conference. He has led workshops in Massachusetts, New York, California, and Connecticut. He is currently on the faculty of Lehigh University, a Minister at Trinity Lutheran Church, Robesonia, PA, and an Artistic Director of the Simpatico Chamber Ensemble. (www.simpatico-ensemble.com)
Darin as Educator
Darin Lewis attended Northwestern University and graduated from Southern California with a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance – cum laude. He was then awarded the Rotary Scholarship, allowing him to do post-graduate work at the Royal Northern College of Music in England with Sulamita Aronovsky. He returned to the United States and began work on his master’s degree in Piano Performance at Yale University. After graduating from Yale, Mr. Lewis received a Teaching Fellowship at the City College of New York, where he began working on a master’s degree in composition with the Pulitzer Prize-winning composer David Del Tredici. Upon his graduation in 1993, Mr. Lewis joined the music faculty of the Horace Mann School where he taught for 19 years. Since completing his Doctorate in Music Education at Boston University in 2016, he has taught at Lafayette College, and Muhlenberg College, and is currently on the faculty of Lehigh University. He has been recognized as an outstanding educator and motivator. In addition to his academic schedule, he is in demand as a composer, conductor, and clinician, having been a consultant for music festivals in the U.S. and Austria.
Darin as pianist
Darin Lewis began his musical studies at the age of seven. He attended Northwestern University, where he was a student of Russian pianist Carmen Or. Upon her urging, he continued his studies with Daniel Pollack at the University of Southern California, where he graduated cum laude. Upon his graduation, he was awarded a Rotary Scholarship, allowing him to do post-graduate work at the Royal Northern College of Music in England with Sulamita Aronovsky. While in England, Mr. Lewis made his orchestral debut with the New-Castle-under-Lyme Orchestra playing Mozart. When he returned to the United States, Mr. Lewis began work on his master’s degree in Piano Performance at Yale University, where he was the recipient of the Catherine Winchell Scholarship as a student of Peter Frankl.
Dr. Lewis has performed at Weill Recital Hall, Steinway Hall in Los Angeles, and at numerous venues throughout the United States and the U.K. An accomplished accompanist, he has collaborated on numerous vocal and instrumental recitals He is currently on the faculty at Lehigh University.