Dennis Armitage

A trained musician, Dennis Armitage simultaneously pursues a visual practice under the name “Darmi”; his biography explicitly links these two fields, noting that his drawings and images refer to extensive musical experience.

He received his first piano lessons at the age of seven. By the age of fifteen, he was already performing at important events in his native city of Leeds. From a very young age, he played regularly as a pianist in a big band.

After his military service, he played in the English Regiment Buff, then toured England for two years.

His first stay in Switzerland dates from 1951, when he joined Hazy Osterwald’s Big Band. With this big band, he undertook international tours, notably in South America, Scandinavia, Spain, Portugal, Africa and Israel. After fifteen years of collaboration with Hazy Osterwald, he left the group to work as a soloist, arranger and composer for various radio and television ensembles.

His meeting with producer and publisher Marc Reift initiated a lasting publishing relationship: since then, he has published hundreds of arrangements and compositions with Editions Marc Reift. His discography includes, among other works, the Solo Album series (vols. 1–10) and collections such as 28 Weihnachtsmelodien (vols.

1 and 2). The published pieces include Alpine Moods, listed by Marc Reift in the repertoire for orchestra/wind band.

Under the pseudonym Darmi, he creates sketches, drawings and images whose affinity with his musical career is emphasised in his biography. Musical and visual works are offered for sale on edrmartin.com, which also publishes a biographical notice about him. According to this biography, most of his works have received a warm public reception.