David Booker
Professional Church Musician
I've been in music ministry for the past 28 years. I started on the organ when I was four years old under the tutelage of Jerry Taylor, and piano with Shelton Smith at age seven in Petersburg, Virginia. When I was a high school, I was mentored by Anthony "Chuck" Olds, John Fox, and Arthur Bridges III all superb musicians (while I lived in Richmond, VA). When I attended college from 1993-2001, I was trained at Norfolk State University by the late Dr. Carl Harris (my choir director). I served as tenor section leader for his university concert choir in 1996. My piano instructor was Dr. Ernest Brown (nationally acclaimed keyboard artist with Baldwin Pianos). I studied sight-sighing and ear-training from Dr. Carl W. Haywood (the director of the I. Sherman Greene Chorale). I received my music theory expertise under the tutelage the late Dr. Marjorie Johnson, and Dr. Adolphus Hailstork (noted African-American Classical composer and artist-in-residence). I've played for Community Church COGIC (Richmond, VA), and Redeemed COGIC (Richmond, VA), New Community COGIC (Churchland, VA), Third Baptist (Portsmouth VA), New Mount Vernon Baptist Church (Portsmouth VA), First Lynnhaven Baptist Church (Virginia Beach, VA), The Mount (youth choir - Chesapeake, VA), Village Baptist Church (Virginia Beach, VA), Hebron Cornerstone Church International (Virginia Beach, VA), and Calvary Revival Church (Norfolk, VA). Modern Gospel music studies were garnered from the mentorship of Bishop Stanley Edwards, Curtis Johnson, and many of my music contemporaries. I have performed and recorded locally with various artists.
Recording Artist and Jazz Musician
While in undergrad and grad school I received the outstanding Jazz Soloist Award on two separate occasions with the NSU Jazz Band during competition jazz festivals. Since then, I've performed or toured with various national artists such as Jackiem Joyner, Tom Brown, Nick Collione, Rick Braun, and Eric Darius.
Music Professional
I've been involved on music production and education since I completed undergrad as a Music Media student in 1998. I ran the music computer lab which is where I taught Finale, Cakewalk, and later Garageband, Reason, Logic Pro and Protools. After completed my master's degree in 2001, I became an adjunct music instructor where I taught classes in First-Year Music Theory, Jazz Harmony, Class Piano, Private Lesson Piano, Humanities, and Music Literacy for Musicians. I continued working in this capacity until I received an offer to become the Visual Designer/Art Director/Web Designer for the university in 2013.
Education
Norfolk State University
Jan 1998 - Dec 2001
Master's
I studied classical piano performance. I won top soloist for their Jazz band during festivals. I managed the music technology computer lab. I created music and produced songs for countless independent artist and music production students over the course of the past 20 years.
Norfolk State University
Sept 1993 - May 1998
Bachelor's
I studied music, mass communications, and music technology.This included miking live instrument. Recording and Tracking to tape, ADAT, Sampling and Sound Design, music programming, reading, writing and arranging music for bands, reading and writing leadsheet, I'm became acutely aware hardware synth from different manufacters as well as the new migration towards "in the box" music production options that are now more readily available. We covered software packages such as Finale, MuseScore, Reason, Logic, ProTools, FL Studio, Wave Bundle, Since then more recent DAW and sound engines have been added to my music instruction curricula such as: Studio One 4, Ableton Live, and Native Instruments Komplete, Reaper, and the Spectrasonics packages (Keyscape, Omnisphere).
Skill Set
Work Experience
Norfolk State University Music Department
June 1998 - Sept 2013
University Music Instructor/ Music Computer Lab Technician
As NSU Music teaching faculty, we taught courses with class piano courses in groups of ten, taught individual private lesson piano to advanced students. We taught humanities to the general education students. We provide support for
- We taught Level 1 & 2 music theory
- We taught Progressive Harmony course which is intermediate music theory specifically for modern music such as Pop, Jazz, and Radio Hits
- We ran the music computer lab
- We install all the software to the computers and the music computer lab and update the OS and hardware.
Various Churches in the Virginia Area
Fall 1991 - current
Pianist • Organist • Minister of Music • Musical Director
Oversee the entire church music department. Duties include: building leaders, fundraising, training directors, choirs, praise teams and musicians as well as preparing monthly reports and the Policies and Procedures Manual for the Department to be governed by.
- Play Keyboard/Organ for weekend and midweek services
- attending rehearsal, manage the band, coordinate music with vocal staff
- provide musical support for regular services and in-house church Conference
- Recording and Arranging Original Music, Ministry Theme Songs, Etc