Q: What’s the one goal you have as a musician? A: Definitely to be on the road with a big pop artist a gig a night for 3 months, that would be sick.
Q: What’s one goal that you have for yourself? A: Something that Mike Gould has instilled in me, and a lot of people is that creativity isn’t something for artists or musicians. Creativity is used everywhere, even how to survive a 9-5. Creativity is for everyone. You just have to notice the creativity in your life.
Like many artists, David fell in love with music from a young age. As a drummer now, his younger years were spent in Portland, OR, where he played music in his church. While jazz had always seemed to be his first love, David started learning about the diversity of the music scene from musicians who hailed from across the country. Artists and Musicians alike often stand out in the crowd in one way or another.
David was removed from his band in high school after he challenged the band director, and was part of the choir as a result. But he called himself a “big fish in a small pond” – an experience that was flipped when he attended the U of M. While an instructor in the RC now, David started his U of M journey as an undergraduate as the Class of 2020 after being recruited by renowned hard bop jazz pianist, Benny Green. Green serves as a jazz piano instructor in the Department of Jazz and Contemporary Improvisation at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance.
As a coach at the RC, David also met RC Music Professor Michael Gould (current Associate Dean for Undergraduate Academic Affairs at SMTD), who is renowned for his contemporary percussion performance. Michael became a mentor to David, personally recommending David for the role.
David is currently teaching his first class this semester, a step up in responsibilities from his role as a coach in the past for the RC. Outside of the RC, David plays in his band Harmolodics and Sabbatical Bob.
