David Hart is a distinguished trumpet performer, educator, and leader with an extensive career in both national and international music education and performance. A California native, he holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Music Education from the prestigious Eastman School of Music, as well as master’s degrees in jazz studies and music education from Eastman and UCLA. He has studied under esteemed trumpet mentors, including Clay Jenkins and Jens Lindemann, developing a deep expertise in both jazz and classical trumpet performance.
Currently, Dr. Hart leads the Middle and Upper School Instrumental Music program at The Harker School in San Jose, CA, where he directs the orchestras, jazz bands, and chamber ensembles while fostering a dynamic and innovative curriculum. He also co-founded and serves as Co-Artistic Director of the Harker Concert Series, bringing world-class musicians to the school community. Additionally, he is on faculty at the Stanford Jazz Workshop, directing the Giant Steps Big Band and co-leading the SJW Mentorship Program.
Previously, Dr. Hart was a faculty member at Mahidol University in Thailand, where he established the first jazz trumpet studio and helped elevate the Mahidol Jazz Ensemble to international recognition. His teaching career has taken him across the U.S., Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, and Myanmar, presenting masterclasses and workshops at leading institutions. As a clinician and guest artist, he has collaborated with esteemed jazz musicians and performed at prestigious festivals, including the Monterey Jazz Festival, San Francisco Jazz Festival, Thailand International Jazz Festival, and Stanford Jazz Festival.
As a performer, Hart is known for his versatility across jazz, classical, and contemporary genres. He has shared the stage with jazz luminaries such as Horace Silver, Gerald Wilson, Dena DeRose, Charlie Rosen and the 8-Bit Big Band, Taylor Eigsti, and Dayna Stephens.
Beyond performance and education, Hart is a dedicated researcher, with published contributions to Developing Musicianship Through Improvisation and his dissertation, Beginning Jazz Improvisation Instruction at the Collegiate Level. Inspired by Dr. Christopher Azzara and Dr. Richard Grunow, Hart’s work focuses on fostering creativity in music education. He is also the co-founder of Noise Lab Music, an early childhood music company that provides early childhood family music classes, group lessons and jam classes, and live performances throughout the Bay Area. Noise Lab Music is dedicated to creating music-rich learning environments for young children and families.
Dr. Hart’s administrative and leadership skills extend to organizing international tours and music events, including numerous Harker Orchestra Tours for both Upper and Middle Schools. His holistic approach to music education seamlessly integrates performance, pedagogy, and program development, continuing to inspire the next generation of musicians.
“Creativity is as important as literacy in education”