David McKay

Biography

David McKay is a Instructor in Theory-Composition, and Music Technology at Belmont University. He is an active composer, arranger, jazz pianist and worship leader. He is founder and president of Kainos Praise Group Ministries (KPG Ministries), affiliated with Artists in Christian Testimony Int’l.

McKay simultaneously began his professional career as educator, arranger-composer, pianist and worship leader in Cincinnati over 25 years ago. He taught theory-composition, music theatre and choral music at the School for Creative and Performing Arts (SCPA). He was the staff arranger- composer and session keyboard player for Sound Images and Jay Gilbert Productions. McKay was Minister of Music at Love & Faith Christian Fellowship, conducting and arranging music for the praise band, worship team and sanctuary choir.

McKay’s compositions and arrangements have earned international recognition in a number of styles and genres. He is leader and founder of the smooth jazz group Quad Venti (available on iTunes). His symphonic composition Dorian Reel premiered at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in 2006 with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra and Nashville Choir. Four Pieces for Viola and Piano and Vocal Psalms received their World Premiere at the McLean School of Music at Middle Tennessee State University in 2004 and subsequent performances in 2011 at Belmont University. His arrangement of Dave Brubeck’s Blue Rondo a la Turk premiered with the Eyecamp String Quartet in 2002. He is composer, pianist and producer of First Fruits, Vol. I and The Soaking Room, Vol. I, live spontaneous worship CD’s.

As a pianist, composer and arranger, his commercial credits include McDonalds, Wendy’s, AT&T, American Standard, General Electric, Proctor & Gamble, Uniroyal, Sears, and the Environmental Protection Agency. As a film and TV composer, arranger and orchestrator, his work includes Lion of Judah (Paramount Pictures), Such Were Some of You, Issac and Rebakah and The Story of Joash, He has appeared, recorded and collaborated with a number internationally acclaimed Christian artists including Maranatha Praise Band, Derric Johnson, Leann and Carl Albrecht, Lynn DeShazo and Denyce Graves.

McKay’s Four Sculptures for String Quartet was premiered the Belmont Camerata in Fall of 2014. McKay’s published choral music is available through Integrity’s Hosanna Music, LifeWay, Word Music Now, St. James Music Press, Art Masters Studios Inc. (Lorenz), Belden Street Music and now Earthsongs.

David McKay holds a Master of Music degree (Composition) from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory, a Bachelor of Music (Composition, Literature and Theory) from Heidelberg University, and an Associate in Theology degree from Florida Beacon Bible College. A composition student of Lukas Foss, Norman Dinerstein, and Paul Palombo, McKay won the BMI Awards to Student Composers for Piano Concerto in 1976.

For more information visit: www.twodavidsmusic.com