Born in Anderson, Indiana, David R. Coolidge came from a very musical family and started playing the trumpet at an early age. He went on to earn a BA from Anderson University and a MM from Indiana University, both in trumpet performance. Dave studied trumpet with Mark Murray, William Adam and Bernard Adelstein, and jazz with David Baker and Dominic Spera. Performance credits at IU included playing lead trumpet in David Baker's top Jazz Ensemble, performing with the University, Concert, Symphony, and Philharmonic Orchestras, and two different graduate solo recitals. The summer of 1988 saw Dave land his first steady professional playing job in a show band for "Celebrate America" at Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, VA.
In May of 1989, he began his eleven-year tenure as a lead trumpet player at Walt Disney World, primarily with EPCOT's renowned ensemble, FutureCorps. Besides recording, producing, and selling an independent (non-Disney) album, some of the group's highlights include: performing as artist/clinicians at the national conferences of M.E.N.C., I.A.J.E., Percussive Arts Society, the D.C.I. Championships in '92,'94,'95,'96,'97, & '98, national TV appearances including "Live with Regis & Kathie Lee" and "Good Morning America," and three tours of Japan as clinicians for Dynasty Music Products. Additional experience included playing in both the Walt Disney World Orchestra and Fanfare Trumpets for EPCOT's annual "Candlelight Processional" holiday show, regular work at Disney conventions and weddings, and subbing in virtually every other band on Disney property.
Since moving to Arizona in 2000, Dave has become one of the busiest freelance trumpeters in the greater Phoenix area, and first-call lead trumpet with many national touring acts. Locally, Dave performs regularly at venues including Phoenix Theatre, the Broadway Palm dinner theatre, North Phoenix Baptist Church, The Celebrity Theatre, or in one of many different big bands, horn sections, and Latin bands. Dave is an active member of AFM Locals #389 (Orlando) and #586 (Phoenix), the Theatre Musician's Association, and the International Trumpet Guild. His own ongoing trumpet studies have been with master teachers such as Laurie Frink (Caruso clinician) in New York, and Bobby Shew in Los Angeles. He has recently been a Faculty Associate in the Jazz Department at Arizona State University, worked with the brass sections of both The Academy (Arizona) and Yokohama Inspires (Japan) Drum & Bugle Corps, and taught many private students at Phoenix College and Quick's Music Store.
Dave's most recent clinics and master classes have been for the Arizona I.A.J.E. Jazz Institute at Phoenix College and Tucson Sabino High School, the Young Sounds of Arizona, and for trumpet students at Glendale Community College and Mesa Community College. Over the years, he has also served on the instructional staffs of both the Suncoast Sound and Magic of Orlando Drum & Bugle Corps, as well as many award-winning high school marching band programs in the states of Indiana and Florida. Additionally, Dave has adjudicated a wide variety of events and venues, including the Kentucky State Marching Band Finals, the Arizona All-District Concert Band auditions, and the Arizona All-State Jazz Band auditions. 