Middleton began playing the guitar in high school, influenced by Twisted Sister and AC/DC, and began playing in clubs around Brisbane with his first band, Sonic Tapestry. He went on to form another band, Pirate, with high school friends.
In 2017, Darren, in conjunction with Music staff, established the Darren Middleton Songwriting Competition in support of the BBC Rock Band Program. The College thanks Darren for his time and commitment to the next generation of musicians and looks forward to welcoming him back to BBC annually as interest in the Darren Middleton Songwriting Competition and workshops continues to grow.