Bio

Darin returned home to Hawaii in 2007, after spending five years in New York City.

Darin has performed at Carnegie Hall, Staten Island Stadium (NY), entertained Hawaii governor Linda Lingle and appeared on the Don Ho show. His music has been featured by award winning film producer Edgy Lee, on numerous television programs, Hawaiian Airlines and has been widely played on satellite, internet and terrestrial radio. Darin’s music is also featured on the compilation, “Hawaii: The Greatest Songs Ever,” produced by Petrol Records and distributed internationally by EMI Music.  In 2008, Darin was nominated for Na Hoku Hanohano Awards in the “Best Instrumental Album” and “Most Promising Artist” categories.

Born and raised in Honolulu, Darin learned to play Hawaiian music alongside his high school classmates. During high school, he received guidance from some of the great guitar players in Hawaii, Barry Flanagan (Hapa), Lisa Smith, and Bobby Moderow (Maunalua). Rooted in the learning gained in Hawaii, Darin set off to college to obtain a classical music degree from Pomona College in California. After four years of classical guitar training under surfing legend Jack Sanders, Darin made his way east to New York City where he spent five years expanding his musical palette. Darin returned home to Hawaii in 2007 to rejoin the Hawaii music community.

Darin’s music is a blend of Hawaiian slack key, folk, fingerstyle and classical. He performs solo and as a freelance guitarist.

Darin’s acclaimed release, “Five Years and Many Miles” displays his guitar and ukulele sensibilities, and was inspired by his time in the Big Apple. Nathan Aweau of the group Hapa also appears on the album. The title cut, “Five Years,” was written on the five year anniversary of 9/11, in remembrance of those events, and the years that followed. John Berger of the Honolulu Star Bulletin describes “Five Years and Many Miles” as a “beautiful all-instrumental calling card.”

Darin has received wide praise from commentators and musicians alike. Wayne Harada of the Honolulu Advertiser labels Darin as a “master communicator. . . able to send images and remembrances of times and themes that touch the soul.” Classical guitarist Jack Sanders calls Darin’s music “unfailingly beautiful.” Music columnist Ken Volpe describes Darin as having a “gift for melody and execution on multiple stringed instruments.”

Darin is also an attorney in Honolulu, Hawaii, practicing in the fields of labor and employment law, as well as music intellectual property.