Today we’d like to introduce you to Daniel Dufour.
Hi Daniel, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started as a percussionist in grade school (Willis, TX), and went to Sam Houston State University for a bachelors in Percussion in 2007. After taking a year off and working/teaching in the Houston area, I moved to Austin in 2012 for a Masters Degree at UT. Since then, I’ve been working as a contracting musician, bandleader, and teacher both in our area and around the country.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The path has not been easy, but I find that my trials in this career have been the most rewarding. You have to put on many “hats” when you play for a lot of people’s projects, so the constant juggling of this (as well as making the time for family/etc) was very difficult at first. There have been many failures in my career, but I feel those moments have made me the professional I am now.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a drummer in Austin, and specifically a jazz musician. I work around the state, but also travel to perform in places like Los Angeles and New York City. I feel lucky that Austin is my home base, in that I work with many incredible musicians here who push me to better myself every day. I’ve also had the opportunity to play with artists from in/out of town such as Carmen Bradford, Seamus Blake, Aubrey Logan, and Randy Brecker.
As of this Fall, I am the Lecturer of Drum Set at the University of Texas at Austin. The student body (jazz majors) are very inspiring to me, and I’m honored to help mentor and grow our program. My sincerest thanks to Diego Rivera, as well as the rest of the jazz faculty at UT, for having me on board.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
Showing up and doing the “job” correct. As musicians, regardless of what genre/etc, we are here for the audience. Whether you’re playing a background gig or at the Paramount Theatre, we have to present our best selves and include the people that are here to listen.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://danieldufour.com
Image Credits
Mercedes Solis
Kim Yarbrough
