Biography

Dr. William Davidson (David) Porter is a retired CMSgt from The United States Air Force Band, Washington D.C. During his 24 year career there, he played tuba with The Concert Band, The Ceremonial Brass and The Symphony Orchestra. He also made appearances with The Airmen of Note, The Singing Sergeants and various chamber groups such as The Dixieland Band and several brass quintets.

Having grown up in Tennessee, David graduated from Alcoa High School in 1976 under the tutelage of Roy Holder. His education includes a Bachelor of Science in Music Education from Tennessee Tech University (TTU), a Masters in Music in Tuba Performance from the University of New Mexico (UNM), and a Doctor of Musical Arts in Tuba Performance from George Mason University (GMU). David's teachers have been Professor R. Winston Morris (TTU), Dr. Karl Hinterbichler (UNM) and Dr. Michael Nickens (GMU). His other teachers have been Mr. David Fedderly, Principal Tuba, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the late Dr. Milton Stevens, Principal Trombone, National Symphony Orchestra, and is currently studying with Mr. Gene Pokorny, Principal Tuba, Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

Besides the USAF Band, David has performed as Principal Tuba with The New Mexico Brass Quintet and The New Mexico Symphony Orchestra and substitute with The Maryland Symphony Orchestra. He is currently Principal Tuba with Tysons McLean Orchestra. His other performing experiences include many solo appearances with the USAF Concert Band and Chamber Series, touring with Tim Zimmerman and The King's Brass (2010-2014), with Eurobrass (2013-2019), with King Street Brass Quintet, Camerata Brass Quintet, National Brass Quintet and Tysons McLean Orchestra Brass Quintet and many other chamber and orchestra ensembles throughout the Washington DC Metropolitan area.

His very active teaching career of over 40 years includes college clinics, high school band camps, sectionals and clinics, middle school and elementary sectionals and clinics, and teaching Drum and Bugle Corps Brass. He currently teaches 30 tuba and euphonium students weekly from five different schools in Fairfax County, VA and has had students gain scholarships at over 16 different major universities. As well as Adjunct Instructor at GMU, he is also on staff teaching Brass Methods, Instrumental Pedagogy and Literature, Tuba Euphonium Ensemble and Brass Coach with “The Green Machine”, the 250 member athletic music ensemble at GMU. During the summers, David is on faculty at the MasterWorks Festival, a Christian performing artist camp at Converse College, Spartanburg, SC.

David's professional memberships include the International Tuba Euphonium Association, American Federation of Musicians, Phi Mu Alpha, National Honor Society, Phi Kappa Phi Honor Fraternity and Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity. His other interests include volunteering as a sound engineer and youth counselor at Fairlington UMC and exercising. David is married to wife, Judy, and they are parents to two children and grandparents to five grandchildren.