Darnel Davila: 17-year-old drummer who dreams of spreading Puerto Rican culture in Buffalo and beyond

Have you met the next generation of Buffalo leaders? Buffalo Rising’s Young, Gifted, and Buffalo (YGB) showcases talented individuals making a positive impact on our community. Get to know them and discover their inspiring stories!

Darnel Davila is a 17-year-old high school student who has undoubtedly already left his mark on the Buffalo community, and beyond, through his passion and talent as a drummer. Darnel is a drum co-instructor at the El Batey Puerto Rican Center, located in Buffalo, New York. El Batey is a cultural center whose mission is to empower and honor Puerto Rican history and culture. They offer various dance, music and martial arts programs at the center that many young people can get involved in. Darnel completely embodies the mission of El Batey as he is a young person from Buffalo who makes a difference in the lives of the students he teaches drums as well as the Buffalo community through his love for music, his dedication to El Batey and his dedication to sharing Puerto Rican culture through drumming as well.

Darnel first arrived in Buffalo from Puerto Rico due to Hurricane María, which he said was a very large and devastating event to weather. After facing the adversity of a natural disaster and coming to Buffalo, Darnel became involved at El Batey. He shared, “El Batey gave me a space to be and improve my drumming.” He is now an assistant drum teacher alongside El Batey founder Beatriz Flores. Darnel enjoys being part of a larger community that shares the same love for Puerto Rico’s oldest musical tradition, known as Bomb.

Darnel is inspired by all the hard work and practice he and all the other drummers have put in. He is especially motivated when they develop their skills as percussionists, grasp difficult notes and arrangements and are close to perfection, because this motivates them to try. more complex projects afterwards, continuing to build on their latest achievements.

Darnel realized about two years ago that the work he was doing and the music he was performing was impacting and touching other people, even outside of the Buffalo community. He realized this when he traveled to Puerto Rico to participate in the largest Bomba festival called “Meeting of drums”. He felt that being able to attend this event was a transformative experience in which he improved his drumming skills, his communication skills and his ability to meet and connect with others. He said: “It gave me a kind of freedom.” This year he joined the event with a larger group of drummers, dancers and singers from El Batey and had the opportunity to participate alongside over 300 percussionists at the Concha Acústica Frankie Ruiz in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico .

Darnel urges other young people: “Don’t be afraid to express your feelings, just be who you are and show what you are good at.”