The Monterey Jazz Festival's Next Generation Jazz Orchestra boasts about bringing up new talent in the genre. In the case of Seaside native Tanya Darby, there's been a nicely linear story to follow: She performed in the Next Gen orchestra as a student, then returned earlier this year as a judge.
"Tanya is one of our finest success stories,” Next Gen Conductor Paul Contos told the Weekly this spring.
She's now ascended to another level in the jazz hierarchy of music and education: Darby has been named as chair of the Brass Department at the Berklee College of Music, effective in January 2019.
“Darby’s impressive background in performance and education will contribute tremendously to the goals and initiatives of the Brass Department at Berklee,” Ron Savage, dean of the Professional Performance Division, said in a statement.
Darby is currently an assistant professor of jazz trumpet at University of North Texas, and has previously held adjunct faculty positions at Temple University and the New School in New York.
Her performance resume includes playing with the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Roy Hargrove Big Band, DIVA Jazz Orchestra, Count Basie Orchestra and Dianne Reeves, among others.
“I didn’t get into teaching, teaching got into me,” Darby told the Weekly of her move to Texas three years ago. “Being with such talented students, I can’t help but smile. I learn from them every day. Teaching has opened my eyes to what the future holds.”
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