David started playing drums at age 7 and played actively (lessons, school band and orchestra, drum corps) until age 14 when he switched his focus to guitar and took lessons all through high school. In 1977 David finished an associates degree in Liberal Arts at Broome Community College in Binghamton, NY. He then went on to study music at the State University of NY at New Paltz followed by Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA where he was a guitar performance major. From there David went on to play music professionally full time, traveling all around the country, playing popular music and jazz. After eight years as a singer, guitarist and band leader David started his music therapy studies at the University of Georgia and ultimately receiving his music therapy degree in 1991 from Eastern Michigan University (MT-BC).
In 1992 David was hired as a staff music therapist at St. Vincent Medical center in Toledo, OH where he worked primarily in the departments of psychology and chemical dependency. This work ultimately extended to other hospital departments including pediatrics, oncology, cardiac rehabilitation (doing music therapy/stress management lectures) where he received valuable music therapy experience. This same year, he started working with Dr. Marion Boss providing music therapy for autistic school aged children at S.A.I.L. When hospital programing changes occurred in 1998 David was prompted to start his own private music therapy practice. In 2010 he completed a Hospice, Palliative care Music Therapy (HPMT) certification from The Center for Music Therapy in End of Life Care (Chicago, Ill).
Today David’s busy private practice consists of music therapy with hospice patients and their families (with ProMedica Hospice) as well as pediatric and adolescent/adult behavioral music therapy at Toledo Children’s and Flower Hospital. He provides music therapy for autistic and special needs school aged children in the Perrysburg Oh school district to support development and academics. In addition, David has experience working with the geriatric population supporting memory, helping with pain management and relaxation.
From 1992 to present David has consistently provided music therapy educational presentations to college music therapy departments, hospitals, professional groups, businesses and schools. Also, David has been writing original music since 1981 and records various styles of music including music for educational development and autism as well as for stress management and relaxation.
In 2012, David opened musicfromthestart.com, a web site that offers original music for child development and the autistic populations as well as providing other music therapy related education courses, research and information. David’s music therapy “blog” can be accessed here also. And in 2014 David opened an educational web site for music therapy professionals and students called guitarplaylikeapro.com. This site offers video based guitar lessons, teaching guitar accompaniment (how to accompany yourself and others, to play songs – not for lead or classical guitar). This site is for anyone wanting to become competent on the guitar. Also, from the categories of lesson topics, continuing education courses are offered for music therapy professionals.