Born and raised in Nottingham, David began playing the trombone at the age of 11. His inspiration to take up the instrument came after listening to the music of legendary bandleader, Glenn Miller. Attending the local sixth-form college he received tuition from the highly acclaimed and respected brass teacher, Doug Wilkie. David was fortunate to play regularly for many of the local orchestras and big bands, and was principal trombone for the Nottingham Youth Orchestra and lead trombone for the Tong Farrell Big Band from 1999 to 2001.
In 2002 David began a four year undergraduate course at the Royal Northern College of Music, studying with some of the finest trombonists in the country; Chris Houlding, Robert Holliday and in his final year, Adrian Morris. During his first year he was awarded the prestigious "Stan Barker Memorial Prize" for jazz improvisation and playing in the RNCM Big Band. While studying at the RNCM he had the opportunity of playing in a variety of the college ensembles, including the Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Opera Orchestra, Wind Orchestra, Brass Band, Brass Ensemble and the RNCM Big Band under the direction of saxophonist Mike Hall. In the RNCM Big Band David had the privilege of working beside Jiggs Whigham, Don Lusher, Steve Waterman, John Warren, Anita Wardell, Andy Sheppard, Tina May, Matthew Herbert, Peter Wraight, Julien Joseph, Bob Mintzer and John Wilson.
David entered the RNCM as a tenor trombonist and during his second year he was approached by Chris Houlding and was asked if he would consider studying bass trombone as well as tenor trombone. David jumped at the chance and for the remainder of his time at college, studied bass trombone with Adrian Morris - bass trombonist with the Hallé Orchestra. He also studied tenor and bass sackbut with early music specialists Sue Addison at the RNCM and Jean-Jacques Herbin at the Conservatoire National de Région de Paris.
After graduating with a BMus (Hons) degree in 2006, David has enjoyed a varied career to date. He can often be seen playing with various big bands around the country, and is the bass trombonist for the Nick Ross Orchestra currently on tour with "The Sounds of the Glenn Miller Era". He is also second trombone with the John Miller Orchestra and the world's finest ensemble for Ballroom Dancing; the Empress Orchestra - directed by Ashley Frohlick. With the Empress Orchestra David has toured Italy, Russia, Singapore and Shanghai, China.
David has had the pleasure of working with the Andy Prior Big Band, Glenn Miller Orchestra UK (Directed by Ray McVay), the Glenn Miller Tribute Orchestra, Memphis Belle Swing Orchestra, Squadronaires Dance Orchestra, Nelson Riddle Tribute Orchestra, Kings of Swing Orchestra, Swing Shift Big Band, Debbie Curtis Radio Big Band, Stephen Triffitt and his "Sinatra Live at the Sands Concert", Jeff Hooper and his Swing Easy Big Band, the Tony Jacobs - Sue Greenway Big Band, the Andy McKay Orchestra, and the French Glenn Miller Memorial Orchestra - participating in the January tour of France in 2008 and 2018.
David has worked with various West End actors and singers including: Louis Hoover, Chris Mann, Allie Laurie, Nigel Casey, Mark Halliday and Alonzo Saunders with The Rat Pack Live from Las Vegas show, touring not only the UK but also Stuttgart and Hannover. He has also played trombone on several dates during the Back to Bacharach show tour and has recorded with comedy actor and musician Graham Fellows (aka John Shuttleworth) in 2018.
On the 'orchestral side of life' David has played for the Hallé Orchestra, the London Pro-Arte and is regularly called upon to play for orchestras all around Europe. Notable performances include playing bass sackbut for Forum Sinfonietta in the south of France in Mozart's "Requiem". His highlights also include playing in the Opéra Comique, the Salle Pleyel and the Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris, for numerous performances of French orchestral repertoire, operas and operettas with Orchestre Ostinato as principal bass trombonist under the direction of highly acclaimed conductor, Jean-Luc Tingaud.
David is also Musical Director of his own big band - The Dave Pearce Orchestra - that he formed in 2004, and Musical Director of the Louth Wind Orchestra that he formed in September 2019.
In his spare time, David has a keen interest in building and designing websites for musicians, and in addition to this, he also has an avid interest in photography.
You can read more about David by visiting his website: www.david-pearce.co.uk