Darden Purcell is a well respected educator and vocal coach. Dr. Purcell is the Director of Jazz Studies, Jazz Voice instructor and director of the DownBeat award-winning
Mason Jazz Vocal Ensemble at George Mason University.
Dr. Purcell's ensembles have performed in Jazz festivals and at conferences throughout the nation, including the Kansas City Jazz Summit, New York Voices Festival (Chicago), Western Michigan Gold Company Invitational (Kalamazoo, MI), Jazz Education Network (JEN) conference (Louisville, KY), JENerations Jazz Festival (New Orleans) and Tiffin University's "Accent Vocal Festival" (Tiffin, OH). The Mason Jazz Vocal Ensemble was a featured collegiate group at the 2018 JEN conference
(Dallas TX) and 2024 JEN Conference (New Orleans, LA).
Her students have won "Outstanding Performance - Jazz Vocal Soloist" and "Outstanding Performance - Scat Soloist" DownBeat Student Music Awards and the Mason Jazz Vocal Ensemble won "Outstanding Performance - Undergraduate College in 2023.
She has served as faculty on camps nationwide, including W.O. Smith Music Camp (Nashville),
Illinois Summer Youth Music (Champaign, IL) Mason Summer Jazz Workshop, MAT Camp (Wyoming), Augusta Heritage Center Summer Camp (West Virginia), National Jazz Workshop and is the host of the Mason Jazz Camp at George Mason University.
Universities, Conferences and events where Darden has presented and/or performed as a
guest artist, adjudicator or clinician:
American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) National Conference (Dallas, TX, MAR 2025)
American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) Southern Region Conference (Raleigh, NC, 2023)
Baltimore All-County Jazz Festival
Blues Alley Ella Fitzgerald Vocal Competition
Capital University
Charter 100 DC
Ella Fitzgerald Vocal Competition
Friends University
Illinois Wesleyan Jazz Festival
ISSMA State Show Choir and Jazz Vocal Finals
JaZzDaYs Festival, Differdange, Luxembourg
Jazz Education Network (JEN) Conference (2018, MJVE performance, Dallas, TX)
Jazz Education Network Conference (2024, MJVE performance, New Orleans, LA)
National Press Club
PMEA District 7 Jazz Festival
PMEA District 9 Jazz Festival
Projecto GURI, Brazil
Southern Nazarene University Vocal Jazz Festival
Texas Tech University
Tiffin University "Accent Vocal Festival"
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Mary Washington Jazz Festival
University of Music and Performing Arts, Graz, Austria (Jazz Voices Conference)
Virginia Music Educators Association 2020 Conference - Clinic Presenter
Virginia Music Educators Association 2023 Conference - MJVE performance
Virginia Tech
Darden's students have won "Outstanding Soloist" and "Outstanding Musicianship" awards at collegiate festivals, DownBeat Student Music awards, military band positions and finalist positions in the Ella Fitzgerald Vocal Competition. The Mason Jazz Vocal Ensemble was awarded "Outstanding Ensemble" at the Kansas City Jazz Summit and has shared the stage with the New York Voices, The Manhattan Transfer and international A Cappella group, ACCENT. Spring 2023, the MJVE was awarded a DOWNBEAT Student Music Award for "Outstanding Performance - Undergraduate College Large Vocal Jazz Ensemble."
Many thanks to Michelle Latour for the feature in Classical Singer Music Spotlight Series "Where I Last got Paid to Sing."
Memberships
Jazz Education Network (JEN) - VA/DC Chapter Vice President
American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) - Virginia ACDA Vocal Jazz Resource and Repertoire Chair
National Association of Music Educators (NAfME)
Virginia Music Educators Association (VMEA)
Virginia American Choral Directors Association "Harmony" newsletter
"Swingin' into the Season: a Holiday Jazz Repertoire List"
"Where's the Rep? Finding New and Exciting Music for your Vocal Jazz and A Cappella groups!"
Darden is certified in Somatic Voicework™ The LoVetri Method, levels I and II and has had the honor of serving as an adjudicator for the
Ella Fitzgerald Vocal Jazz Competition hosted by the Blues Alley Jazz Society 2017 through 2023.
Dr. Purcell is available for guest conducting, master classes and vocal workshops.
JaZzDaYs festival workshop in Differdange, Luxembourg 4.27.24.
JaZzDaYs festival workshop in Differdange, Luxembourg 4.27.24.
JaZzDaYs festival workshop in Differdange, Luxembourg 4.27.24.
JaZzDaYs festival workshop in Differdange, Luxembourg 4.27.24.
