Full Biography
Originally from Honolulu, Hawaii, David Anderson is a musician and teacher with a Bachelor and Master of Music Education degree from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. He has worked as an elementary, middle, and high school music instructor, assistant band director, woodwind clinician, marching band technician, piano teacher, private lesson instructor, freelance accompanist, freelance arranger/composer, substitute teacher, and faculty member at summer music programs. David is proficient on all instruments – woodwinds, brass, percussion, and strings, as well as aural/vocal skills (singing), with experience instructing in small and large group settings of all ages. He completed his 450-hour student teaching internship with Fairfax County Public Schools and has assisted with music programs at Oakton HS, Centreville HS, George Mason HS, Woodson HS, West Potomac HS, Madison HS, North Stafford HS, Longfellow MS, Frost MS, Gainesville MS for the Arts and Sciences, Rachel Carson MS, Churchill Road ES, and the Edlin School for the Gifted (K-8). David is currently a member of the National Association for Music Education, National Band Association, American String Teachers Association, and attends/performs at the Virginia Music Educators Association Conference.
David has performed solos, large ensemble pieces, and new compositions with a variety of professional ensembles, including the Capital Wind Symphony, Fairfax Wind Symphony, Rappahannock POPS Orchestra, Mid-Atlantic Wind Symphony, All-Virginia Honor Band, as well as pit orchestras, symposiums/conferences, recitals, and competitions. During his education, he was inspired by military bands and was selected for the United States Air Force Band Collegiate Symposium in 2017, a program that invites select collegiate musicians to perform with the band in rehearsals, masterclasses, and a final concert. He was selected for a similar opportunity as a high school student with The United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own” under a program in 2014. He studied the saxophone under Professors Richard Parrell (Army Band), Ed Fraedrich, and Xavier Perez (Army Blues). David studied instrumental conducting under Anthony Maiello, and had numerous conducting experiences throughout his education.
At George Mason University, he served as Principal Alto Saxophone in the GMU Wind Symphony (directed by Mark Camphouse), Concert Band, Honors Recital, Big Band (directed by Jim Carroll), Jazz Workshop, Saxophone Quartet, Symphonic Band, Flute Choir, chamber performances, solo recitals, and weekly masterclasses. He joined the GMU Saxophone Quartet for 4 years, which presented programs for the College Quartet Series at the U.S. Navy Band International Saxophone Symposium, premiered a new composition at the Society of Composers, Inc. Snapshot Conference, was selected for the Honor Recital, participated in a masterclass with the Barkada Quartet, and performed for the community at large. He also joined the Flute Choir directed by Jennifer Lapple, performing on bass flute and C flute. The choir was involved in frequent recitals, recording projects, and traveled to perform at the FSW Mid-Atlantic Flute Convention.
Studying under Jim Carroll and Xavier Perez, David joined the Jazz Workshop and Big Band to explore jazz styles, techniques, and improvisation. The GMU Jazz Ensemble (Big Band) played at the world-renowned Blues Alley Jazz Club in Washington, D.C., and presented a large fundraising benefit concert, Jazz for Justice, raising money for legal aid and scholarships.
David studied piano from a young age, gaining experience over time in solo performance, accompaniment (large ensembles and chamber music), and teaching. On the side, he freelances as a piano and harpsichord accompanist for choir concerts, solo & ensemble festivals, masterclasses, juries, recitals, auditions, symposiums/conferences, methods classes, band/orchestra concerts, and music competitions around the Northern Virginia area. David currently maintains a piano studio of students ages K-8 at the Edlin School for the Gifted in Reston VA. While at GMU, David took lessons from Dr. Yoonji Kim. In private lessons of all types, he uses the piano to teach theory and accompany students on their repertoire, whatever instrument they may play.
His dedicated passion for music truly began in high school, serving as drum major for the North Stafford Big Blue Marching Band (directed by Austin Nicholas), performing in honor bands and pit orchestras, and studying saxophone under Scott Shirk. He studied piano from the age of 5, and frequently participated in musical events of all kinds throughout his life. During the summers, he is on staff at the Judith Lapple Summer Woodwind Camp and the Rappahannock Summer Music Camp, while teaching private lessons and performing freelance across the state.
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“David Anderson is, without question one of the finest undergraduate students I have had the pleasure of working with in my 40-year career of full-time university teaching. David is an outstanding saxophonist and fine pianist. His leadership qualities are excellent. David possesses a superb work ethic and has consistently demonstrated the highest standards of artistic and academic excellence and personal integrity. I have complete confidence in his ability to make significant contributions to the music education profession.” – Mark Camphouse, composer and conductor
“In my observations, David demonstrated a friendly and engaging demeanor when interacting with the student (collegiate level) and a high level of musicianship through his clarity of musical ideas and their application to specific selections in the music. Not only did David use the student’s pre-existing knowledge of the music and allowed for the student’s inquiries to dictate the focus of the lesson, he was able to produce distinct results in favor of the student’s improvement in a short amount of time. David is an attentive teacher with mature instincts for interacting with others and demonstrates excellent potential for applying the concepts taught in this class in pedagogical contexts.” – Dr. Jennifer Lapple, conductor and professor of flute
“David Anderson is an outstanding musician, extremely talented and gifted! He is highly dedicated, hard-working, responsible, reliable, dependable and respectful. His personality is engaging, kind, and sincere. He will be an extraordinary music educator, a trusted colleague and a loyal faculty member of any learning institution fortunate enough to have him as a faculty member.” – Anthony J. Maiello, conductor