Dave grew up in a musical family in Arlington, VA, and studied piano and double bass through high school. He received a bachelor of music in double bass from the Cleveland Institute of Music and a bachelor of arts in economics from Case Western Reserve University. He attended graduate school at the University of Maryland where he earned a master of music while working on the staff of the National Orchestral Institute. Before coming to San Luis Obispo, Dave served as the Assistant Personnel Manager at the Baltimore Symphony for two seasons. As a bassist, Dave has performed with the Baltimore, National, and Fairfax symphonies, the Chautauqua, Pacific, Tanglewood, and Staunton festivals, and was principal of the Grammy-nominated Inscape Chamber Orchestra. He is a member of the San Luis Obispo Symphony and has also performed with the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra, Symphony of the Vines, SLO Master Chorale and Opera SLO.  Dave lives in San Luis Obispo with his wife, Jessica, and their three children, Hazel, Cody and Cora.