Music Director David Blazer

David Blazer is the Director of Music here at West Shore.  He was on staff for the past three years as Co-Director with B. Neil Davis.  He was born and raised in Oklahoma where he began studies with Douglas Payton on piano and Oneta Puckette on the organ.  At age 15 he became the organist of the First Presbyterian Church in Miami, Oklahoma.  He went on to be accepted at the famed Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Oberlin, Ohio where he received the B.M in Organ Performance under the guidance of Garth Peacock and George Lamb.  He continued his studies in Early Music Performance Practices at Case Western Reserve University and also in Liturgical Music at the University of Notre Dame.  For many years now he has participated in studies of Gregorian Chant at the Pontificial Institute of Sacred Music in Rome, Italy.  From 1987-1997 he was the Executive Director of the Riverside Academy of Music.  He is a member of the American Guild of Organists where is holds the Service Playing Certificate and also a member of the Unitarian Universalist Musicians Network. 

His choirs from previous church affiliations have performed in 3 European concert tours with performances in such places as St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, Italy; along with major performances in Vienna, Florence, Assisi, Munich and Budapest.  Blazer has also performed numerous organ recitals throughout the United States and Europe.   He holds a Masters Degree in Organ Performance and a Masters Degree in vocal performance; both Summa Cum Laude from Cleveland State University.  He studied organ with Dr. Margaret Scharf and voice with Elizabeth Chesko.  He also previously studied voice with the late Pauline Thesmacher.  He has performed in master classes with Arthur Poister and Naji Hakim.

He studied voice with the late Pauline Thesmacher.  Studies have continued in organ with Dr. Margaret Scharff and is currently studying organ with Nicole Keller and voice with Elizabeth Chesko.    Blazer is also currently the assistant director of choral activities at Lorain County Community College where he is accompanist for the Lorain County Civic Chorale and also teaches private voice and piano.  David Blazer is also widely known for his jazz piano in local clubs throughout the Cleveland area.   He is the featured house pianist for the famed Velvet Tango Room.