Daryl McKenzie

Daryl McKenzie is a renown Australian Musical Director, Composer, Arranger, Conductor and Trombonist. He directs the Daryl McKenzie Jazz Orchestra (DMJO) and was formerly Musical Director of the Victoria Police Showband.

A versatile musician, Daryl works as a freelance composer, arranger, trombonist, and conductor, and regularly arranges for and conducts orchestras and bands across Australia, the USA, Canada, and Europe.

Daryl has worked on Australian television shows including Hey Hey It’s Saturday, Australia’s Got Talent and Dancing with the Stars, arranging music for artists including Tom Jones, Joe Cocker, Barry Manilow, Bonnie Raitt, Trisha Yearwood, Michael Feinstein, Randy Crawford, Roger Daltry and Ray Charles.

He has orchestrated and conducted numerous Australian and international movie scores and documentaries including The Truman Show, Red Dog, Seriously Red, Falling for Figaro and The Sapphires. 

Daryl has arranged music for most major Orchestras in Australia plus numerous Orchestras internationally including the Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia, National Symphony Orchestra (Kennedy Center), New York Pops (Carnegie Hall), Toronto, Seattle, Miami, Long Beach, Forth Worth, Pasadena, Santa Rosa, Columbus, New Albany, and Winnipeg Symphony Orchestras. 

He has worked extensively as an educator directing ensembles and lecturing in composition, arranging and orchestration.

Daryl completed undergraduate studies at the Victorian College of the Arts and North Texas State University, and holds a Master of Education (Music) from RMIT University.

"Daryl is an exceedingly talented and facile musician, gifted with a multiplicity of talents. He can arrange, transcribe, copy and just about anything else you can imagine, and it is always of the highest quality. He has great instincts and always delivers big time… and on time. Whenever I’ve had a task that needed a fast turnaround, he has always accomplished the goal in record time. He’s a natural." - Michael Feinstein (Grammy nominated artist, Principal Pops Conductor Pasadena Symphony)

"Daryl has been a lifesaver for me in my work with symphonic pops programs…. His creativity in painting vivid colors with the orchestra is evident in all his work, and he is extremely reliable and quick! I have had no issues reading his charts easily and accurately with orchestras throughout the US—they play the first time through like a dream. I’ve collaborated with Daryl on charts in many different styles, and the results have always been exactly what I was hoping for." - Ted Sperling - Principal conductor Westchester Philharmonic, Broadway Musical Director.

"I'm so happy I discovered Daryl and his exceptional work. He's a terrific arranger that really knows how to utilize the orchestra well. I'm always happy with the great quality of work he does, sometimes on very short notice! He's well versed in many styles of music and a real pleasure to work with." - Steven Reineke - Music Director New York Pops at Carnegie Hall , Principal Pops Conductor National