David W. Kaiser

David Kaiser is a trumpet player and educator based in Minneapolis, MN. He maintains a busy calendar performing across the upper midwest and teaching as a full-time band director. As a player, David's musical versatility and technical facility has been praised by world-renowed players such as Wayne Bergeron, Allen Vizzutti, and Tony Kadleck.

 

As a versatile freelance musician, David performs in a variety of settings such as orchestras, chamber groups, jazz ensembles, salsa groups, and pop/commercial outfits. He can regularly be heard with ensembles in the Twin Cities including High & Mighty, the Bill Simenson Orchestra, Silver Alchemists, McNasty Brass Band, and the Bluewater Kings. He has performed across the country including a serving as an orchestra fellow at the Miami Music Festival in Miami Beach, FL.  David has shared stages with renowned local and national artists such as Øystein Baadsvik, Kenni Holmen,  Tommy Barbarella, Allen Vizzutti, Helen Sung, and Christopher Hollyday amongst others.

 

Alongside his performance career, David is an avid educator committed to equity and accessibility. David's experience in education spans K-12 students from diverse communities, encompassing band, orchestra, and general music. He is currently the director of bands at Zimmerman Middle-High School in Zimmerman, MN where he directs 6-12 band, jazz band, pep band, and modern band. He previously taught middle school band in Saint Paul Public Schools.  David is also a private trumpet teacher whose students have participated in the Minnesota Youth Symphonies, Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies, Minnesota All-State ensembles, and gone on to attend prestigious universities such as the University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, St. Olaf College, and Columbia University in New York, NY.

 

David graduated with honors from Minnesota State University in Mankato, MN, where he earned a B.S. in Instrumental and Classroom Music Education with K-12 licensure.  He then went on to earn a master's degree in trumpet performance at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, MI where he served as principal trumpet in the university's wind symphony, university orchestra, and lead trumpet for the Downbeat award-winning Western jazz orchestra. David's primary teachers are Dr. Douglas Snapp, Dr. Jonathan Brandt, Dr. Scott Cowan, professor Scott Thornburg, and Dr. Robert White.

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David resides in the twin cities with his partner Emma and their two cats, Adeline and Mariska.  When not teaching or performing (or practicing), he spends his time cycling - often to a coffee shop, spending time with his partner, or playing with their cats.