Darius Starks ’16 to debut at Newberry Opera House

Darius Starks, a 2016 Newberry College graduate, has been playing saxophone since the age of 10. Nineteen years later, and seven after earning his music degree, he is coming home to make his debut at the Newberry Opera House.

Starks will perform Sunday, Dec. 17, at 6 p.m. alongside David Glymph and Steven Galloway, who together form the soul-stirring trio DSG. The group’s smooth harmonies across contemporary jazz and R&B will be an unforgettable start to the Christmas season.

Starks says he first fell in love with the instrument at a revival service at his grandmother’s church, Columbia’s Temple Zion Baptist, where Greg Whittaker was playing as a guest.

“He played Amazing Grace, and it just brought chills,” he says. “I asked my dad, after he finished playing, like, ‘what is that?’ and he said, ‘a saxophone.’ And I knew right then, I wanted to be just like him when I grew up. And for Christmas, my dad got me a saxophone, and I’ve never put it down since then.”

Staring when he was in fifth grade, Starks began taking lessons. The Irmo native played football for two years in high school, then decided to go out for the marching band. His junior year, he was Rookie of the Year, and then Woodwind Captain the next. Even at this stage, Starks says he was performing in front of audiences as a solo artist.

“I would play at my grandmother’s church at the beginning, then I moved to [Right Direction Church] and was part of the band. From playing every Sunday, they asked me for small little gigs here and there, weddings and stuff like that. One gig would lead to the next gig, and it just kind of started from there, and it progressed definitely after college.”

His journey led him up the road to Newberry College, where he studied under the likes of woodwinds professor Dr. Barry McGinnis, professor emeritus and director of bands Bill Long, and director of bands and jazz conductor Dr. Jerry Gatch.

“My experience at Newberry was great. It was a small community, everyone knew each other. I was part of the [Call Me] MISTER program. It was like a close-knit family, apart from my own family,” he says.

At Newberry, Starks was a member of the Scarlet Spirit Marching Band, the saxophone quartet, the College Singers, and the Jazz Big Band, which named him Most Valuable Player in 2015. The College band also gave him the opportunity to perform alongside big names, including trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis and “The Late Show” trumpeter Al Chez.

“Newberry definitely gave me the work ethic to practice every day. Dr. McGinnis was on us about perfecting our craft and devoting at least one or two hours a day to perfect your instrument,” he says. “We had a lot of performances, going around to different schools, jazz tours, even choir tours, just the experience of performing in front of people, getting comfortable in front of a crowd.”

After graduation, Starks took his musical and business skills to work as a full-time musician, performing solo and group shows, weddings and parties, and creating content across social media platforms. He released an EP, “Christmas in the Key of D” in 2018, and he has performed on television shows such as “Good Day Columbia.” He has performed in Washington State, Connecticut, Chicago, New Orleans and across the South. He has a “residency” at Halls Chophouse in Columbia, where he performs for brunch each Sunday. This summer, he, Galloway, and Glymph formed DSG, and the group is rapidly growing in skill and acclaim.

“We’ve been friends for a long time, crossing pathways, and we’ve been trying to get something together,” he says of the group. “It just kind of happened this summer. We decided to do a video, [a cover of Boyz II Men’s “I’ll Make Love to You”] that’s still going viral. I had the Newberry Opera House already booked earlier this year, so I wanted to bring my group with me. We get a lot further with us coming together.”

Starks says he’s looking forward to recording an original single with his group and performing in bigger and more exotic venues, such as a wedding in Cancun booked for next year.

To purchase tickets to Starks’ Dec. 17 show, visit NewberryOperaHouse.com.

To learn more about his work, visit DariusStarksMusic.com and follow him on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.

About Newberry College

Newberry College is a private, residential, co-educational institution with a diverse student population. Founded in 1856 by the Lutheran Church, Newberry College is one of the South’s top 10 best colleges according to U.S. News & World Report, consistently honored for value (No. 3), social mobility (No. 4), best colleges for veterans (No. 2) and overall best (No. 10). Offering baccalaureate degrees in 39 majors, two graduate programs, five fully online undergraduate programs and five dual-degree programs, the College’s foundation remains grounded in the liberal arts. In addition, the College offers 24 NCAA Division II sports, cheerleading, dance and esports. Newberry College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, and the National Association of Schools of Music. For more information, visit newberry.edu.