the David Lewis Archives
David Lewis was an exceptional clarinetist and saxophonist who performed across both Jazz and Classical genres. He was a professor at Ohio University in Athens, OH and left behind decades of recorded performances to be enjoyed by all. This site exists to preserve David’s legacy by publishing his music and performances for the world to hear.
David was born December 10, 1929, in Baltimore, Maryland to an immigrant family. He was a first-generation American and exemplified the notion of a self-made man. He had a vision and a passion. He wanted to be a musician from the time he was small and he would not let anything divert or discourage him from attaining that dream. His brothers and sister remember David’s single devotion from the time he was a child, that it was almost impossible to get him to eat breakfast because he was always at the piano playing. In spite of his father’s misgivings that he would not be able to make a living as a musician and all the obstacles in his way, David completed his education and became a very successful performer. He was always playing clarinet and piano, always improving his technique, always fighting to be the very best and the most creative musician and teacher he could be. He was associated with Professor Richard Syracuse and the Profs jazz combo for some three decades (they played for a wildly cheering audience at ClarFest ’92 in Cincinnati).
In addition to his outstanding performance career, Lewis also served the Ohio University School of Music as chair of the Academic Studies area, chair of the performance area and acting director of the School of Music. He was co-author of the music text Harmonic Dictation: a Programmed Course and published articles in The Clarinet and ClariNetwork International.
Copyrighted excerpts used from “The Clarinet” Magazine February/March 1997 Edition. Used with permission. All rights reserved. Provided by International Clarinet Association: https://clarinet.org/
“David Lewis was my very first clarinet teacher. He was a wonderful role model for musicianship and dedication to one’s art and vocation, an excellent classroom theory teacher and a super jazz musician. We stayed in touch over the years and, had it not been for his recommendation that I take his one-year leave position at Concord College, I sometimes wonder where, or even if, my college teaching career would have ever started. I owe him a lot, and I think about him almost every day”
— James Gillespie,
Professor of Music, University of North Texas
“It was during my senior year in high school and my freshman year in college that I studied with Dave Lewis. He was a fine teacher and mentor. I clearly remember his advice to me — “Don’t go into music unless you really love it.” I know he helped spark the fire in me. My teacher and my friend, I will always be grateful for your guidance.”
— John Scott,
Professor of Music, University of North Texas