About
David began his musical studies on the clarinet at age 10. Two years later, he was asked to learn saxophone to fill out the section for the middle school jazz band. Once in high school, David began private study of the saxophone (and later flute and clarinet) with woodwind performing artist/educator Curt Hanrahan. He was drum major of the award-winning Cudahy High School Marching Band and played lead alto in the jazz ensemble. David played baritone saxophone in the UW-Milwaukee Youth Jazz Ensemble and also played in the 2000 WSMA State Honors Jazz Ensemble.
In 2001, David chose to study music at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM). Here he played in the wind ensemble, jazz ensemble, symphonic band, concert band, panther pep band, and orchestra. He continued to study saxophone with Curt Hanrahan, but also studied the clarinet with William Helmers and bassoon with Beth Giacobassi, both of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. Other notable artists he has had the pleasure of working with as a student include Los Angeles based multiple woodwind recording artist Jay Mason and retired MSO principal flautist Jeani Foster. David was also the jazz band manager for both the college band as well as the UWM Youth Jazz Ensembles I & II for 3 years. In May of 2005, David graduated with honors from UWM with a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree in Multiple Woodwind Performance. He was the first person to graduate from the new degree program.
As a performer, David’s talents have taken him around the world. In 2002, David was asked to perform in the Disney cast of Blast II: Shockwave, at the Epcot Center of Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. There, he worked with the Emmy and Tony award-winning creative team of Blast! to open a new theatrical show. In the summer of 2008, he worked with the same production team, touring various cities in Japan as a woodwind swing in the two-hour Broadway style show, Blast II: MIX (Music in eXtreme).
Since then, David has performed in New York, Chicago (including the historic Jazz Showcase), Madison, and all around the Greater Milwaukee area. His career includes performances with a variety of celebrity artists including Grammy recipients Dianne Shuur, Arturo O'Farrill, The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Box Tops, and Johnny Mathis. Others include singer/songwriter Bobby Caldwell, gold and platinum selling artists Cheap Trick, jazz trumpeter Jon Faddis, the Cab Calloway Orchestra, and Sharon Owens (Barbra Streisand tribute act). David has also performed with national touring musicals at the Fox Cities PAC and the Marcus Center for Performing Arts.
Locally, David has performed with Present Music (nationally recognized contemporary music ensemble), the Skylight Music Theater, the Fireside Theater, the Sunset Playhouse, Dynasty, Diamond, Cold Sweat and the Brew City Horns, The Mr. Lucky Syndicate, The Milwaukee Jazz Orchestra, North Coast Orchestra, Jason Gillette & The Showtime Big Band, D’CalleSon, Michael Drake’s No Tan Lines Band, the All-Star SUPERband, as well as numerous pit orchestras for community theaters. In April of 2008, he performed as a guest artist with the Arrowhead Jazz Ensemble at the Hot Chili, Cool Jazz concert. David is a member of the Milwaukee Musician’s Association, Local #8, American Federation of Musicians.
Besides a performer, David is also known throughout the Greater Milwaukee area as a music educator. He has served as a clinician/coach at schools in Cudahy, Hartland, Kenosha, Mequon, Oak Creek, Oconomowoc, and Waukesha. He began his teaching career as the saxophone instructor at Homestead High School. He was also a woodwind instructor at Lincoln Music House, one of Milwaukee’s oldest music establishments. Currently, David teaches woodwinds at the Waukesha County Conservatory of Music, in Hartland(WI), where he has been since 2005. The Waukesha County Conservatory of Music is one of the largest conservatories attached to a music store in the country, giving more lessons than most conservatories in the country.
David also has an interest in band instrument repair. He studied the craft of band instrument repair under NAPBIRT technician Anne T. Widener at Lincoln Music House.
David can be heard on several CDs from local recording artists. He recorded on three CDs from his time with the UWM Jazz Ensemble/UJAY. More recently, he has recorded with Wisconsin blues artist Mare Edstrom on two of her CDs, Sugar Sweet and Way Beyond The Blue. The All-Star SUPERband released a CD titled Live at the Miramar which David played the alto sax, clarinet, and flute. He has also recorded tenor sax, flute, clarinet, and bassoon on Thor Bremer’s 2011 album The Multitude. David can also be heard on many big band tracks for Excelcia Music Publishing.
Equipment
Flute:
headjoint:
Piccolo:
Alto Flute:
Clarinet:
mouthpiece:
ligature:
Bassoon:
bocal:
Soprano Sax:
mouthpieces:
ligature:
Alto Sax:
mouthpieces:
ligature:
Tenor Sax:
mouthpieces:
ligature:
Baritone Sax:
mouthpieces:
ligatures:
Muramatsu ST (manuf. 1979)
B foot, open hole, solid silver, split E, offset G
Miyazawa, solid sterling, hand cut
Di Zhao DSP-201
Di Zhao DZA-100
Buffet R-13 (manuf. 1985)
Instant Gratification, custom by Eddie Daniels; Rico Evolution reeds, #3
Vandoren Leather Ligature
Schreiber S-56 (manuf. 1971)
Heckel
Yanagisawa S-991
Selmer S-80, C* (classical)
Phil-tone Sapphire; D'Addario Select Jazz 2M
FL Ultimate Ligature
Yanagisawa AWO10, Keilwerth SX-90 R, black nickel
Selmer Concept (classical); Vandoren V-12 reeds #3
Phil-tone Rift, .078 (jazz); D'Addario Select Jazz 3S
FL Ultimate Ligature
Keilwerth SX-90 R, black nickel
Selmer S-90, 190 facing (classical); Vandoren reeds, blue box #3
Phil-tone Eclipse custom (jazz); D'Addario Select Jazz 3M
FL Ultimate Ligature
Keilwerth SX-90 R, black nickel
Selmer S-90, 190 facing (classical); Vandoren reeds, blue box #3
Peter Ponzol M1, 120 (jazz);
Ernie Northway custom HR, 100/3; Rico Plasticover
FL Ultimate Ligature
