WASHINGTON -- “The first time I conduct the Marine Band at the White House I think it’s going to be exciting and exhilarating,” 1st Lt. Darren Y. Lin said. “I’m sure I’ll just have all the adrenaline running through my veins. I’ll be lucky if I’m not overwhelmed in the moment, but I know it will be memorable for sure.”
On Jan. 28, 2022, Lin was commissioned the newest assistant director of “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band.
Previously the most junior percussionist in the band, Lin’s transition into leadership comes with many changes. Promoted from Staff Sergeant to 1st Lieutenant, his fellow Marines will now address him as “Sir.” His concert uniform receives a bit of an upgrade, now handsomely trimmed with gold braiding. On stage he will no longer reside at the rear among cymbals, snares and xylophones, but instead front and center on the podium with baton in hand.
In his new role, Lin will conduct the Marine Band and Marine Chamber Orchestra in the White House, public concert venues in the Washington area, and in locales around the nation during the band’s annual October tour. This promotion also tacks on new responsibilities like supervising the fall and winter Chamber Music Series, coordinating the conductor training program, and serving as officer in charge for the wind, string, and combo sections.
“Musically, I’ve always been interested in conducting,” Lin said. "My original plan was to stay at the Eastman School of Music after getting my master's degree in percussion performance and get another master's in orchestral conducting. Those plans changed, but during my percussion studies I continued to develop conducting skills on the side. I was also lucky enough to have three really great mentors during my time at the University of Michigan – Christopher James Lees, Michael Haithcock, and Rodney Dorsey – all of whom helped me prepare for this audition.”
Yes, directors of the Marine Band have to audition, and it’s quite involved. The multifaceted process is designed to assess the applicants’ current capabilities, growth potential, and diversity of skill.
Though the auditions were originally slated to take place at the end of 2020, pandemic-related delays meant the auditionees had to wait until May the next year before trying out.
During that waiting period Lin spent the extra time to refine his skills before auditioning, working on clarity and commitment to gestures in his conducting. He also noted practicing the subtle, yet important art of facial expression to better convey musical intention behind phrasing.
In the preliminary round, candidates each led a 40-minute rehearsal with the band, conducting through four pieces they had prepared ahead of time – three selected by Director Col. Jason Fettig, and one that was the candidate’s choice.
They each conducted “The Star-Spangled Banner,” Elegy for a Young American by Ronaldo Lo Presti, and Variations on “America” by Charles Ives and William Schuman. Lin’s personal selection was Danzón No. 2 by Arturo Márquez.
When choosing his own piece to conduct, Lin felt the Márquez composition provided musical contrast to the other selections and that it would best demonstrate his musical strengths – the ability to lock in a strong groove while navigating mixed meter and tempi. It’s also one he already had experience with, having used it to close a conducting recital he gave his senior year at the University of Michigan.
After musicians and band leadership convened privately to discuss the candidates’ first performance on the podium, Darren was advanced to the final round. This involved planning and leading a week’s worth of rehearsals with the band and orchestra – a realistic task for an assistant director.
Predetermined band selections for this portion of the audition included Aegean Festival Overture by Andreas Makris; My Jesus! Oh, What Anguish by Johann Sebastian Bach; and Symphony in B-flat for Band by Paul Hindemith. During the string rehearsals, Lin conducted Adagio and Fugue in C minor, K.546 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Chamber Symphony, Opus 110a by Dimitri Shostakovich.
While he found planning the rehearsal to be challenging in its own right, what tested him more was remaining in the present, being aware of what was going on in the ensemble while he conducted.
“The bar is already so high to get into this organization that it is easy to feel very self-aware when leading other musicians who have equal, if not much more musical accomplishment than me,” Lin said. “Thankfully I already know and have a good working relationship with these Marines. Knowing this put some of my nerves at ease.”
Once the last notes rang through Sousa Band Hall with Lin at the podium, the only remaining step in the audition process was to face a final interview with band leadership.
“Through conducting, rehearsing, writing and interviews, we are looking to identify a candidate who not only has the capacity and potential to be an excellent musical leader and conductor, but also a superb officer and non-musical leader and communicator in a military environment,” Col. Fettig said. “The audition process is also geared toward understanding each candidate’s vision for the future of the band, knowing that they will play a large role in shaping the next generation of ‘The President’s Own,’ both artistically and culturally.”
After careful deliberation and consideration of all finalists, Lin was officially chosen to become an assistant director in the band in July 2021.
“It was very stressful - I didn't get a lot of sleep throughout the time I auditioned, but here I am,” Lin said. “I’m just flattered that my colleagues have the faith in me to perform the job.”
Col. Fettig elaborated on why he believes Lin will be successful as assistant director: “1st Lieutenant Lin is an exceptional musician – he's already proven that in his time as a percussionist in the band – and through this rigorous audition process that we put together he has also demonstrated a remarkable capacity for growth and potential for long term success. He's articulate, he is bright, he’s a great conductor already, and he has shown just a tremendous enthusiasm for getting even better in the years to come, and I have no doubt that he will.”
Lin believes two key strengths he brings to his position are a strong sense of time, solidified by years of practice as a percussionist, and another less measurable, yet equally important trait for an assistant director:
“I’ve long joked that my secret superpower is making people feel comfortable. In my opinion, I think the best music making comes from that place where the musicians are comfortable and able to have a fun, collaborative experience.”
He also noted that strength also comes from the diversity he brings to the Marine Band leadership, as the organization’s first Asian American assistant director.
“Representation has always been really important for me. Growing up in central Pennsylvania I didn't see a lot of people that looked like me in the percussion section or on the podium,” Lin said. “With my being here in this position, I hope I can inspire the next generation to pursue music opportunities and maybe even someday join the Marine Band so together we can help the band better reflect the country and the people that we serve.”
In addition, Lin brings to the podium a wealth of experience and a love of music that stretches back to his earliest days.
“I was lucky enough to be raised in a household where my mom played piano. I would wake up as a young child listening to Beethoven, Mozart, or Bach – whatever she was working on at the time – so that was my introduction to the world of classical music.”
At age 5 he began learning piano, and by the 4th grade he started playing drums.
“I was a pretty rambunctious child,” Lin said. “I liked being loud, and I remember seeing a rock drummer on TV just playing his heart out, and I remember just thinking ‘I want to do that.’”
During his early years as a percussionist, Lin recalls being a bit unaware of all that music could offer, but he strived for more to keep up with the energy music brought him. Outside of performing with his school’s music programs, he began to play with youth orchestras, the Hershey Symphony Orchestra, and a few metal and rock bands. He also took a few lessons with Master Gunnery Sgt. Christopher Rose, current Marine Band assistant principal percussionist.
“In college I definitely became more intense and directed in what I was trying to do,” Lin said. “I spent a lot of time practicing, a lot of time playing in ensembles, and just trying to do and learn as much as I could from my teachers and the people around me.”
He earned his bachelor’s degree in music performance from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor in 2014, and a master’s in percussion performance and literature in 2016 from the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester; both of which have music programs positively influenced by former Marine Band percussionists, like Charles Owen at Michigan, and John Beck at Eastman.
For a time, Lin also attended the New England Conservatory, where he was greatly influenced by the instruction of J. William Hudgins, percussionist in the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
Lin performed with the Buffalo Philharmonic in New York, New World Symphony in Miami, New Haven Symphony in Connecticut, and Reading Symphony in Pennsylvania. He taught at Lebanon Valley College in Annville, Pa., as the adjunct professor of percussion, where he gave private lessons, directed the percussion ensemble, and taught percussion techniques for music education majors.
When “The President’s Own” held a percussion audition in early 2019, Lin gave it a shot, inspired by the points of connection his path already had with the Marine Band. Of nearly 30 musicians who tried out, Lin was selected as the winner, and he later reported for duty in July.
“As a percussionist, rarely will you find yourself in a position to use all the musical skills you've learned.” Lin said. “Joining the Marine Band was great because there are so many musical outlets within the band. Outside of our main concert band we have a chamber orchestra, jazz band, percussion ensemble, Latin jazz ensemble, chamber music groups, and so many more subgroups to play in.”
“To me the Marine Corps is the embodiment of excellence,” he continued. “No matter what the mission is, we aim to do it to the best of our ability. I love the pride and the camaraderie of the Corps. It’s very inspiring to be part of the few and the proud.”
As Lin takes this new, exciting direction in his Marine Band career, it also means relinquishing his duties as a musician within the ensemble.
“I will always be a percussionist and percussionists are my people,” Lin said. “I was lucky to join the band in such a great section and I will miss working with those guys on that level. We have some of the most talented musicians in the world, and the thing I look forward to most as assistant director is to make music with my colleagues in this new way.”
After his short time as a playing member of the band, Lin did express one regret – he never performed a Sousa march on snare drum.
“Maybe when the Colonel isn’t looking I can sneak back there for a concert,” Lin said.