Artists Profiles

David Darling

How do you describe a person who, in a single solo cello concert, can cover Bach, the blues, Brazilian and African music, and slow-moving fluid sonic meditations? Whose solo albums, Grammy nomination, and appearances with the likes of Bobby McFerrin, Spyro Gyra, the Paul Winter Consort, Arlo Guthrie, Peter Kater and R. Carlos Nakai represent nearly every musical genre and every conceivable way a human can communicate via stringed instrument? Whose recent credits include collaborating on the musical scores for works by European film makers Jean-Luc Godard and Wim Wenders? And whose unconventional, playful teaching style has helped open the world of music and improvisation to thousands of people?

"Maverick cellist" is the phrase most often assigned, but it hardly captures the richness, diversity, breadth and sense of humor of David Darling--a man who literally has redefined the way the cello is played and the way music is taught.

Darling is a classically trained cellist who began his career as an elementary and secondary school teacher and conductor of band and orchestra, specializing in cello and bass. He later taught music and served as orchestra conductor and faculty cellist at Western Kentucky University. In 1969, he joined the Paul Winter Consort, an extraordinarily progressive band for its time whose sound blended jazz with Brazilian, African, Indian and other world music--and at times even the voices of animals.

Since he left the Consort in 1978, he has dedicated himself to a solo performing and recording career, and to teaching music and improvisation. In 1986 he co-founded Music for People, a non-profit educational network that teaches and fosters improvisation as a means of creative self-expression. Through Music for People workshops, trainings, and special events, Darling has reached thousands of people. For several years, Darling has also worked for Young Audiences Inc., a National Medal of the Arts award-winning organization dedicated to enriching children's lives by providing in-school programs in the form of classroom workshops, artists' residences and performance programs. In 2002, Darling was nominated for a Grammy Award for his CelloBlue album.

Julie Weber

Julie Weber is the current Chairperson of the Musicianship and Leadership Program for Music for People. Her deep love of and curiosity about sound continues to lead her into various paths in a life centered on music and the arts.

She is a seasoned public school music educator and children's choral director of 32 years and also spent 7 years teaching vintage Moog Electronic Music Studio at the graduate level. For a number of years she was involved in the Avant-Garde Music Scene composing electronic music, creating  multimedia performance pieces and unique concert experiences, and composing for modern theater and dance, including, Robert Wilson's "Deafman Glance" and electronic music for a dance film aired on national public television.

Julie is a pianist, composer, electronic musician and innovative educator. Her newest passion is learning to play the cello.  She is currently involved  in composing, performing, recording, giving private sessions and  facilitating workshops. These workshops in community building, personal growth, going deeper into one's musicianship, and expressing one's musical self through improvisation, integrate the philosophies of Music for People with her own. She believes that providing a supportive environment for these process-centered creative experiences bring us to the center of our beings where we can experience immense joy, where we can do some of our best learning as human travelers and give a great gift to our world.

Julie is available for programs, workshops and activities in communities, corporations, colleges, schools, and with adults, the elderly, the disabled, with groups or individuals.

Music for People
P.O. Box 397
Goshen, CT     06756