Since graduating with a BMus (Hons) degree from the Royal Northern College of Music in 2006, David has enjoyed a varied career to date. He can often be seen playing with various big bands around the country, and is the bass trombonist for the Nick Ross Orchestra currently on tour with "The Sounds of the Glenn Miller Era". He is also second trombone with two of the world's finest ensembles for Ballroom Dancing - The Empress Dance Band and Empress Orchestra - directed by Ashley Frohlick.
David has had the pleasure of working with the John Miller Orchestra, Glenn Miller Orchestra UK (Directed by Ray McVay), the Glenn Miller Tribute Orchestra, Memphis Belle Swing Orchestra, Squadronaires Dance Orchestra, Nelson Riddle Tribute Orchestra, Kings of Swing Orchestra, Swing Shift Big Band (Directed by trombonist Lee Hallam), Debbie Curtis Radio Big Band, the Andy Prior Big Band, Stephen Triffitt and his "Sinatra Live at the Sands Concert", Jeff Hooper and his Swing Easy Big Band, the Andy McKay Orchestra, and the French Glenn Miller Memorial Orchestra - participating in the January tour of France in 2008.
David has worked with various West End singers including: Louis Hoover, Chris Mann, Allie Laurie, Nigel Casey, Mark Halliday and Alonzo Saunders with The Rat Pack Live from Las Vegas show. He also toured Stuttgart and Hannover with the Rat Pack show on bass trombone in December 2007.
It was in 2002 that David began a four year undergraduate course at the Royal Northern College of Music, studying with some of the finest trombonists in the country; Chris Houlding, Robert Holiday and in his final year, Adrian Morris. During his first year he was awarded the prestigious Stan Barker Memorial Prize for jazz improvisation and playing in the RNCM Big Band. While studying at the RNCM he had the opportunity of playing in variety of the college ensembles, including the Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Opera Orchestra, Wind Orchestra, Brass Band, Brass Ensemble and the RNCM Big Band under the direction of saxophonist Mike Hall. In the RNCM Big Band David had the privilege of working beside Jiggs Whigham, Don Lusher, Steve Waterman, John Warren, Anita Wardell, Andy Sheppard, Tina May, Matthew Herbert, Peter Wraight, Julien Joseph, Bob Mintzer and John Wilson.
David entered the RNCM as a tenor trombonist and during his second year he was approached by Chris Houlding and was asked if he would consider studying bass trombone as well as tenor trombone. David jumped at the chance and for the remainder of his time at college, studied bass trombone with Adrian Morris - bass trombonist with the Hallé Orchestra. He also studied tenor and bass sackbut with early music specialists Sue Addison at the RNCM and Jean-Jacques Herbin at the Conservatoire National de Région de Paris.
On the 'orchestral side of life' David has played for the Hallé Orchestra in July 2006, the London Pro-Arte and is regularly called upon to play for orchestras all around Europe. Notable performances include playing bass sackbut for Forum Sinfonietta in the south of France in Mozart's "Requiem". His highlights also include playing in the Opéra Comique, the Salle Pleyel and the Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris, for numerous performances of French orchestral repertoire, operas and operettas with Orchestre Ostinato as principal bass trombonist under the direction of highly acclaimed conductor, Jean-Luc Tingaud.
David is also the Musical Director of his own big band - The Dave Pearce Orchestra - that he formed in 2004.
In his spare time, David has a keen interest in building and designing websites for musicians. David has designed a few websites for his colleagues and friends - you can view them by visiting the links page.
David's Equipment:
Bass trombone: Michael Rath R9 with heavy gauge bell, bronze dual-bore slide and Bach 1 1/2G mouthpiece.
Tenor trombones: Conn 88H and Michael Rath L4 mouthpiece, King 3B and Bach 11C mouthpiece, Conn 6H and Bach 11C mouthpiece.
Download David's biography (PDF format)
