David Saenz

Director, Jazz Bands

David Saenz is an experienced music educator and jazz musician. David served fifteen years teaching instrumental and general music in Baltimore City Public Schools (BCPSS), grades pre-K through eight. He implemented American Kodaly Institute best practices and curated diverse music curricula under the tutelage of Peabody Institute early childhood educator Dr. Eric Rasmussen. In 2008, he began a jazz ensemble directorship at Johns Hopkins University (JHU). The JHU student jazz ensemble was awarded honors at the 2014 Villanova University Jazz Festival and collaborated with Chris Vadala, Zaccai Curtis, Dave Ballou, and Jim McFalls. David has performed with Warren Wolf, Jason Palmer, Roger Humphries, and Zaccai Curtis’ Insight. David played lead alto in the Whit Willams big band and BCPSS faculty jazz band under Charles Funn. He studied with Jerry Bergonzi, George Garzone, Allan Chase, and Eric Kloss while earning music degrees from Carnegie Mellon University (BFA ’99) and New England Conservatory of Music (MM ’01).