Danny Devillier received a Masterʼs degree in music theory and composition from the University of Southwestern Louisiana in 1998 in his hometown of Lafayette where he continues to work as a professional performing musician, composer/arranger, and educator. He has toured and recorded with some of the regionʼs most well-known musicians including Bonsoir Catin (with who he received a Grammy nomination for best regional roots record in 2014), Terrance Simien, Beausoleil avec Michael Doucet, David Egan, Mem Shannon, Theresa Andersson, GIVERS, Anders Osbourne, The Pine Leaf Boys, Cedric Watson, Feufollet, Ann Savoy, and Roddie Romero. He continually works as a composer and arranger on a wide variety of projects ranging from commissioned orchestral works and film scores, projects accompanying theater and dance, as well as art pieces of his own creation. He is the owner of The Music Room Lafayette (themusicroomlafayette.com) a private music lesson studio where he teaches drums, guitar, piano, and composition to students of all ages, and the director of The Good Time Rock Retreat (goodtimerockretreat.com), a summer rock camp for adults. He serves on the faculty of both the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and South Louisiana Community College as an adjunct music instructor.
Who makes up your art circle?
Being a long-time member of the music community in and around Lafayette, naturally I work with a lot with musicians from a variety of music genres. However my work as a composer and arranger has opened up my community to dancers, film makers, theater people, poets, and professors. I’ve always maintained a close affiliation with ULL and have had the opportunity to do many cool things with the music, theater, dance, and architecture departments over the years.
How do you expand your art circle?
Not to get too deep and personal here but people kinda freak me out. Im always looking for (longing for) something deeper and more meaningful in my interactions with people. I guess this is to say that I don’t go looking to expand my art circle so much as seek to deepen my human one; to make a meaningful connection with someone. This will inevitably make whatever art that is to be created more meaningful.
What value do you see in having a creative community?
I’ve lived here, with few exceptions, my whole life. And despite the horrid, depressing, relentless, ungodly, soul-sucking heat, I LOVE it! Why? Because you can do anything you want here! There’s always something going on. There’s always an opportunity to do something creative, either because someone wants to collaborate or because you just want to do it yourself. The past few years I’ve just been thinkng of stuff that I want to do for the sake of doing it…and then doing it. Because you can! Because this place loves creative people and ideas. Its not always good for the bank account but its wonderful for the soul…which is much more important. Makes the heat a little more bearable.
How does your artistic approach contribute to your community?
I have no idea…HA!
Check out the links below to learn more about Danny!
Our weekly Art Circle series profiles artists throughout the community and is sponsored in part by Lafayette Visitor Enterprise Fund managed by Lafayette Travel
