Biography
He has sung solo recitals with pianists Anton Nel, Claude Cymerman, Ann Epperson, Kathleen Kelly, Chuck Dillard, Rick Rowley, Jason Peterson, Steve Wogaman, Elden Little, among others. His oratorio repertoire includes Elijah, Ein Deutsches Requiem, Faure Requiem, Messiah, Szymanowski Stabat Mater, John Adems The Wound Dresser, DuruflÁ¨ Requiem and many more. He has been featured as soloist with St. Louis Symphony, Cincinnati May Festival, the Haifa Symphony (Israel), Austin Symphony, Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Rochester Philharmonic, Canton Symphony, Missouri Symphony, Lansing Symphony and Bravo! Colorado Music Festival. He made his Carnegie Hall debut in the LORD NELSON MASS and SCHUBERT MASS IN G with John Rutter conducting.
David was selected as a NATS Master Teacher in 2011 (one of four chosen nationally), and his students have performed roles with the Austin Lyric Opera, Opera Carolina, Opera Delaware, Houston's Opera in the Heights, among others and apprenticeships with Sarasota Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera and others. Recent student achievements include soprano Natalie Cummings, who was a Met semi-finalists in 2014, baritone Yoon-Sang Lee, who was selected as one of 12 finalists in the 2007 International Verdi Baritone competition, as well as being a finalist in the Artist Division of the National Opera Association 2008 Vocal Competition. Former studio member Dr. Arikka Gregory, mezzo-soprano, served as a 2007 NATS 'Young Leader', one of five to be chosen nationally.
He earned an Artist's Diploma in Opera and a Master of Music in Voice Performance from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music under the tutelage of the late Metropolitan Opera basso Italo Tajo. He earned his Bachelor of Music degree from the DePauw University School of Music, where he studied with Thomas Fitzpatrick (student of Mack Harrell) and received a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance with a Performer's Certificate. Professor Small was invited to give a presentation entitled, “From Studio to Stage to Studio; The Life and Times of an Artist Teacher” at the 2008 NATS National Convention and has been chosen as a Master Teacher for the 2011 NATS intern program. He is a contributing writer for Classical Singer Magazine beginning with his article "Why I Teach", for their July 2009 edition.