The Amazing Music of Darrius Simmons

    When Darrius was 10, he told his grandfather he liked the piano music at church. “It’s too bad you can’t play,” his grandfather said. Darrius took that as a challenge.

    He asked the music director at church to teach him some simple songs. “I like to show people I can do things they think I can’t do,” he says.

    When Darrius was in eighth grade, his mom got him an electric keyboard. He would listen to a song. Then he would try to play it. He practiced for hours.

    “Getting my hand placement was the hard part,” he says. “Everyone else has 10 fingers, and I have 4. So I had to come up with my own technique.” He also had to figure out how to play the pedal with his prostheses.

    His favorite piano song is called “River Flows in You” by a Korean composer named Yiruma. It took Darrius almost a year to learn it. But when he did, he felt proud.

    When Darrius was 10, he told his grandfather how much he enjoyed the piano music at church. “It’s too bad you can’t play,” his grandfather responded. Darrius took that as a challenge.

    He asked the music director at church to teach him some simple songs. “I like to show people I can do things they think I can’t do,” he says.

    When Darrius was in eighth grade, his mother bought him an electric keyboard. He would listen to a song and then try to figure out how to play it, often practicing for two or three hours a day.

    “Getting my hand placement was the hard part,” Darrius recalls. “Everyone else has 10 fingers, and I have 4. So I had to come up with my own technique.” He also had to figure out how to play the pedal with his prostheses.

    Darrius’s favorite piano song is called “River Flows in You” by a Korean composer named Yiruma. It took Darrius almost a year to learn it, but he felt incredibly proud when he finally mastered the difficult piece.

    When Darrius was 15, a local TV news station did a story on him. They showed him playing Yiruma’s song.

    Someone sent the video to Yiruma. He invited Darrius to play with him at Carnegie Hall. That’s a famous concert hall in New York City!

    Backstage, Darrius met Yiruma. Then the two walked onto the stage. The lights were bright. Darrius had to squint to see the audience. All 2,800 seats were filled. “The people in the back were so far away they looked like little specks,” he says.

    Darrius and Yiruma played a duet. The applause was thunderous. “I was excited to play in Carnegie Hall, but I was even more excited about meeting Yiruma,” Darrius says. “It was the best moment of my life.”

    Darrius told Yiruma he wanted to write music. Yiruma encouraged him to follow his dream.

    When Darrius was 15, a local television news station heard about his talent and did a story about him. In the video, they showed him playing Yiruma’s song.

    Someone sent the video to Yiruma, and he invited Darrius to play with him at Carnegie Hall—a famous concert hall in New York City!

    After meeting backstage, Darrius and Yiruma walked onto the stage together. The lights were so bright that Darrius had to squint to see the audience. All 2,800 seats were filled. “The people in the back were so far away they looked like little specks,” he recalls.

    Darrius and Yiruma played a duet, and the audience gave them a thunderous standing ovation. “I was excited to play in Carnegie Hall, but I was even more excited about meeting Yiruma,” Darrius remembers. “It was the best moment of my life.”

    Darrius told Yiruma he dreamed of being a composer—that he had music in his head all the time. Yiruma encouraged Darrius to follow his dream.

    Darrius was inspired. He started writing songs. The first one was called “Dreams Are Forever.” He posted it on Facebook last year. The video went viral. It now has more than 4 million views.

    Yiruma saw the video. He called Darrius to congratulate him. 

    Darrius is now 18. He’s still writing songs. He’ll graduate in May. After that, he hopes to travel the country to play music and share his story.

    He wants people to enjoy his music regardless of how many fingers he has. “I may have a disability,” he says, “but I don’t let it hold me back from anything.” 

    Darrius was inspired, and he began writing his own songs when he got home. The first one was called “Dreams Are Forever.” He posted it on Facebook last year, and the video went viral. It now has more than 4 million views.

    Yiruma saw the video and called Darrius to congratulate him. He encouraged Darrius to continue making music.

    Darrius, now 18, is writing more songs. When he graduates in May, he hopes to travel the country to play music and share his story.

    He says he wants people to appreciate the music he’s making regardless of how many fingers he has on his hands. “I may have a disability,” Darrius declares, “but I don’t let it hold me back from anything.”