At Tampa Bay Music Academy, we believe investing in a great teacher is vital to creating a lifelong love of music. That’s why we’re thrilled to welcome Dave Rudolph to our team. Dave will be teaching drums and guitar with TBMA, and we look forward to sharing his expertise with our students and their families.
Dave earned his degree in music performance from the University of South Florida in 2001. His musical career includes participation in a variety of ensembles, bands, and jazz groups. He is a first-call drummer with The Straz Center for several musical productions and enjoys performing with many of Tampa Bay’s most talented artists, including The Valerie Gillespie Ensemble. He also writes and performs with musical fusion group Thick as Thieves.
Dave has been a music teacher since 1997, teaching guitar, bass, and percussion to students of all ages and skill levels. He believes in challenging students to reach their full potential and giving them the tools they need to take their musical experience to the next level.
When asked what he loves about teaching, Dave told us: “I love that my job as a music teacher allows me to share new types of music with young musical minds. There is a rich and rewarding musical world out there, that doesn’t always make it to the ears of our future music makers.”
Dave also shared some of his favorite musical moments with us:
TBMA: What is your favorite musical memory?
Dave: When I was just starting to get serious about playing music, my mom took me to a unique “show and tell” type of orchestral performance by the Pittsburgh Symphony at Heinz Hall. The conductor would describe each instrument group and feature them in a short performance. It was not just an informative program, but also a fun and visceral experience.
TBMA: What is your favorite musical work to perform?
Dave: As a performer, I am allowed the luxury of being a part of many different ensembles. As a percussionist, I enjoyed playing the Firebird Suite by Igor Stravinsky; as a jazz drummer, I always have fun playing Spain, by Chick Corea; and as a guitarist, I think I find that whatever I am working on during any given week is my favorite.
TBMA: What do you love most about teaching?
Dave: I really enjoy working one on one with students in helping them to set and achieve goals.
TBMA: How did you know you wanted to teach?
Dave: I enjoy talking about and playing music, so I guess teaching kind of came naturally. I like sharing what I know with people who want to understand new things.
TBMA: When do you recommend starting music lessons?
Dave: Of course there will be exceptions to this, but I think about 8 or 9 years old is about as young as I would recommend starting. It seems that if you do start younger, there can be issues with self-motivation and at-home practicing, as well as concentration issues during the actual lesson.
TBMA: What brought you to Tampa Bay Music Academy?
Dave: The variety of programs, instruments taught, and the highly professional atmosphere.
We’re very excited to bring Dave on board so that our students and their families can benefit from his expertise and teaching. Welcome to TBMA, Dave!