ABOUT DERRICK RASSINIER
Class of 2022
Derrick Rassinier began playing the horn at age 11 under the instruction of Evan Mino, former assistant principal horn of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. In 2012 he attended the CICA Summer Music Festival, which inspired him to pursue a career in music. After moving to Eureka Springs in 2014, Derrick discovered composition and honed his skills under the influence of Barry Milner.
Since then, he’s arranged and composed several works that have been published and performed by a variety of ensembles. He also served as principal horn with the OzarkPhilharmonic Youth Orchestra from 2015-2017. In 2016 he performed in a concert with the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas as 3rd horn. Derrick also performed with the United States Army Field Band Jazz Ambassadors and with Chris and Dan Brubeck on trumpet in jazz festival performances in Eureka Springs.
After graduating from Eureka Springs High School, Derrick attended Interlochen Center for the Arts and studied horn under Corbin Wagner, and composition with Dr. Cynthia Van Maanen. In his time at Interlochen, Derrick played with the wind ensemble and symphony orchestra and played in a brass quintet. It was also at Interlochen that Derrick collaborated with singer-songwriters Trenton Breithuapt and Summer Green, working with them to write instrumental parts for their songs and was featured on both horn and trumpet on Summer Green’s debut album, Calligraphy.
Currently, he is pursuing a degree in horn performance at theUniversity of Arkansas studying with Dr. Katey Halbert. Derrick also studied horn with Dr. Timothy Thompson and composition with Dr. Robert Mueller. Derrick holds the principal horn position in both the University Wind Ensemble and University Symphony Orchestra. He also founded the Hawksbill Winds, a student wind quintet at the University of Arkansas, and played in The Fantastic Cor, a graduate horn quartet also at the University of Arkansas.
Outside of school, Derrick frequently teaches private lessons and performs as a soloist in NorthwestArkansas. When not playing the horn, Derrick enjoys spending time with his partner, Hayley, and20 pound cat, Porkchop. He also likes cooking, hiking, and enjoying all of the coffee shops and breweries that Northwest Arkansas has to offer.