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Dr. Dave started playing the piano at age 6. His sister had been playing for some time and he found the piano irresistible,
so, his parents started him in lessons. Although not classically trained, his early teacher's instructed him in
chord theory and applying that to improvisation. At 12, Dave's elementary chool music teacher put him in touch with
Steve "Stubby" Heist, a local ragtime performer at a local pizza parlor. "Stubby" quickly took Dave
under his wing and started him in Classical Ragtime. For the next years, Dave could be found frequenting the pizza parlor
to practice his new found Ragtime skills. At 16, Dave began his professional career on the St. Louis Riverfront excursion
boats. Playing regularly from solo spots to 5-piece groups, helped Dave hone his improvisational skills. Here
is where the story takes a brief musical pause. Dave began college, graduated from the University of Missouri College
of Veterinary Medicine in 1986, and began practicing in Indianapolis, IN. Soon, thereafter followed the start of his
family and an eventual to St. Louis to continue his Veterinary career. It wasn't too long before the "Ragtime
Bug" struck again and Dave, returned to the St. Louis Riverfront and to his spot in the Don Scherrer Banjo Bands.
In that role, he has performed at every VP Fair on the St. Louis Riverfront and continues to perform on the excursion boats
to this day. However, it was not until his entrance into the St .Louis Stompers Classic Jazz Band in 1998, that
Dave got serious about music again. He currently still performs with the Stompers both in St Louis, as well as National
Festival from Florida to California. While holding down his spot in the rhythm section, he also does most of the bands
arrangements. But what about Ragtime? It was Don Franz, the tuba player with the St . Louis Ragtimers who
should get the credit, or the blame, for that return. It was he who introduced Dave to the late Jan Hamilton Douglas
and a quick, but brief, friendship was forged. With Jan's urging, Dave started practicing, and learning new rags.
That experience and his relationship with Don Franz, led to finally meeting the great Trebor Tichenor and Al Stricker,
the other 2 members of the St. Louis Ragtimers. With Trebor's assistance, Dave gained an invite to the
Scott Joplin International Festival in 2000 and hasn't looked back since. Dave has appeared in Sedalia every year
since and was named the 2007 Artist in Residence for the Scott Joplin Ragtime Foundation. Dr. Dave has performed
at the Blind Boone Ragtime Festival in Columbia, MO for the last 6 years and regularly makes appearances at the Chippewa
Valley Ragtime Festival, where he was a headliner in 2007, the Grand Internatiional Ragtime Festival in Alexandria Bay,
NY, and Zehnder's Ragtime Festival in Frankenmuth, MI. He regularly performs at the Scott Joplin State Historic
Site in St. Louis, MO and performs concerts throughout the country.
Recently, Dr. Dave has been named
the Artisitic Director for both the Chippewa Valley Ragtime Festival and the prestigious Scott Joplin International Ragtime
Festival. ONe too many? Only time will tell. So, the next time you see Dr. Dave, and he looks a little frazzled,
you will know why.
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