Dave Roth, a freelance percussionist in New York City, has been performing and teaching for over 25 years and has appeared in over 200 cities worldwide. He is an active player in the Broadway musical theater scene and is currently performing in the revival of Cats! Prior to his current show, he held the percussion chair in Finding Neverland, Evita, How The Grinch Stole Christmas, A Christmas Story at famed Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall's Christmas Spectacular, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and The Pirate Queen where he also served as an assistant conductor. In between his own shows he spends time subbing other shows, including Sting's The Last Ship, Cinderella, Bullets Over Broadway, Big Fish, Billy Elliot, How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, Anything Goes, Mary Poppins and The Addams Family. Additionally, he played on Come Fly Away, Promises Promises, Hairspray, Gypsy, A Chorus Line, The Color Purple, Curtains, Cry Baby, The Drowsy Chaperone, Mamma Mia, A Dancer's Life (the Chita Rivera Story), Lestat and Saturday Night Fever. Dave has performed in numerous musicals throughout the world including the North American and Asian tour of West Side Story, the national tour of Mamma Mia and the U.S. tour and European tour of Smokey Joe's Cafe.
Dave also performs with the Knickerbocker Chamber Orchestra located in downtown Manhattan. He has freelanced with orchestras throughout the Midwest and east coast. Some of these include San Antonio Symphony, New York Grand Opera, Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra, Illinois Chamber Symphony, Richmond Symphony Orchestra, Light Opera Works, Annapolis Symphony Orchestra and Maryland Symphony Orchestra. He has appeared onstage with Sir Paul McCartney, Aloe Blacc, Carole King, Natalie Cole, Gladys Knight, Art Garfunkle, Doc Severinson, Henry Mancini, The Chieftains, Pincas Zuckerman, Susan Anton and many more.
Dave trained at Kansas State University where he received his Bachelors of Music Degree and also at Northwestern University in Chicago where he received his Masters of Music degree in percussion performance. He has trained with some of the highest regarded professionals in the music business. They include Terry Applebaum, Northwestern University; Al Payson, Chicago Symphony Orchestra; Stan Finck, Kansas State University; Luis Andino, Cuban percussionist; and Bernard Wona, National Theater of Ghana. He is a very proud endorser of Yamaha Percussion.
