David West

Teaching Piano, Voice, Guitar and Bass

David has been involved in music study and performance for over 36 years and has been an instructor for over 22 years.

Piano Studies

New England Conservatory of Music Extension Division... Four years of Private Jazz Piano and Improvisation study with Professor Bruce Torff of the New England Conservatory of Music ED.

New England Conservatory Jazz Ensemble Intensive jazz music performance study at New England Conservatory with Professor Michael Taylor... under the tutelage of Professor Bruce Torff.

Voice Studies

Music is Art Agency Studied Voice Pedagogy with New England Conservatory graduate and instructor Barbara Morash for 6 years, at Music is Art Agency.

David has also performed solo performances, shows and recitals representing Barbara and the Music is Art Agency.

Guitar Studies

Berklee College of Music extension school. Specialist Certificate in Guitar Skills.

Guitar Chord Studies with world renowned Berklee Professor Rick Peckham. The following are quotes from Professor Rick Peckham taken from his online discussion with the chords class:

"David's been a real contributor to the success of the class, which, I must say, has been one of the most vibrant sections I've ever had."

"Dave you are a natural teacher... patient, methodical and, most importantly, you can back it up!"

"David, Thank you for this handy addition--the first pdf posted by a Chords 101 participant in the course's two year history. I'm sure that it will help a lot of people to get these shapes under control."

Guitar Scale Studies with Berklee Professor and New England Conservatory Graduate Larry Baione.. also head of the Berklee College of Music Guitar Dept. Following are some quotes by Professor Larry Baione, taken from David's graded assignments:

"David, very enjoyable listening to you. Nice paraphrasing of some melody of the bossa. Excellent sound. The G piece sounded excellent."

"David- the scales are right on- legato and very in tune with the tempo. Good job on the melody.

David- you did exactly what I was looking for...very very nice!! Your solo really reflected the tunes."

"Excellent playing David... the melody is not easy... very well played. You solo as if you have been playing the tunes for sometime."

"David- you nailed the melody. I really like your solo starting with those repeated... and restating that phrase....not all of your solo is blues scale... very enjoyable and strong soloing."

Guitar Improvisation Studies with Berklee Graduate and Professor Ed Tomassi. Following are some quotes by Professor Ed Tomassi, again taken from David's graded assignments:

"Very good musical solo on assignment 1.2. Great use of phrasing! Most of the time you used repetition and that gives the solo unity... Nice guitar sound!... Good work."

"Wow!!!! Fantastic job with the challenge assignment trombone transcription!!!!!!!... You sounded great! All of your pitches and rhythms were accurate!... I really liked this solo on guitar... Keep up the fantastic job."

"Very good AAA riff and AAB lyric melody!!! Great use of repetition on your solos and good contrasting rhythms... Nice guitar sound too."

"I really enjoyed your Harmonic Riff melody and solo. You sound very musical and organized. Nice use of rhythmic displacement - syncopation!... Great Job!"

"Excellent job with assignment 7!!! You know the chord tones and very good job with voice leading... Fantastic! I am enjoying your new level of musicianship!!!"

Great work on the challenge assignment!!! Excellent job going to different chord tones and scale notes. Your written chart is great!... Excellent job, good legato playing.

Excellent job with assignment 10 chromatic approaches to chord tone motives!!!!!!! You did a really good job following directions and sticking to the concepts. Good discipline!.

Fantastic job throughout this course. I have really enjoyed working with you. My best to you with all of your musical ambitions!

Jimmy Bruno Guitar Institute David is currently studying via the Jimmy Bruno Guitar Institute and uses jazz guitarist Jimmy Bruno's approach for teaching guitar theory and improvisation.

Private Guitar Studies - Three years of private Jazz Guitar study — One year of Jazz Guitar and guitar theory with Andrew Martin of Berklee College of Music. Also studied two years of Jazz Guitar with Don Pendleton of Saugus, Massachusetts focusing on jazz chord melodies.

Bass Studies

Three years of Bass study and performance. David began his Bass experience during his son Steven's many years of intense bass studies. Currently performing Electric Bass Guitar for Church Services

Experience and History

David has been performing professionally for 28 years. Here is a brief history of events in his career experience.

David was inspired to learn piano after seeing his childhood friend play "Fur Elise". He began his piano study at eight years old under his father's guidance. At age thirteen, David also began to study guitar with the Junior High School Guitar Program. David then studied two years of music theory and ear training in High School. David and his brothers practiced and performed music together for most of their teen years.

David was also always somewhat involved with the theatre, as his parents and aunt (West & MacRae) wrote and produced musicals.

At age 16 David began to perform in a contemporary country band with three of his brothers, John Bernard and Lo Williams, known as "The Redneck Revival"... traveling all over New England with multiple performances every week for over 5 years.

At around age 20, David began teaching piano at Tewksbury Music Center in Tewksbury, MA and Music Workshop in Salem, NH. At this point he was also studying with New England Conservatory Professor Bruce Torff.

David joined a pop/rock group called "Reflex" and performed locally for a number of years in night clubs and other functions.

David also worked for Kurzweil Music Systems as an Engineering Technician, developing new electronic keyboard equipment and sounds. David worked directly with legendary synthesizer/keyboard pioneers Bob Moog, Hal Chamberlin and Ray Kurzweil.

In his early twenties, David received an award for work with the Lexington, MA School System as an accompanist and music director for a school arts and theatre group.

Later David joined with his brother Bill, guitarist Arthur Lever, and other musicians, to perform at the 1369 Jazz Club in Cambridge, MA. From this they formed an all original music group called "Dexter's Friends", performing contemporary music written by David and Arthur. They performed in the Boston night club circuit and on the Boston Common.

Around two years later, David and his brothers joined with Alphonso Thomas and Greg Jackson to form the contemporary jazz group "The Alphonso Thomas Quintet". This group performed at Hanscom Field Airforce Base and also other public and private functions in the New England area.

After becoming Christians, David and his brother Jim formed "The West Brothers" Contemporary Christian Music group. David and Jim have written many songs and perform at churches in Boston and all over New England. At this time David was studying both Jazz Guitar and Voice at the Music is Art Agency.

David has been a piano, guitar and voice teacher at Tewksbury Music Center for many years.

In the year 2000, as an extension of West Sound Studio, David and his brother Jim started West Brothers Music™, in Londonderry, NH.

After moving from the West Sound Studio building. David and his brothers taught temporarily at Bob West's private teaching studio in Londonderry and at their church in Manchester, NH.

After getting married to his wonderful wife Rose, and moving to Nashua, David began to transition to the Nashua area and eventually opened the Amherst New Hampshire, West Brothers Music™ location in 2004.

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