David Cleveland is currently the Director of Instrumental Music at North High School and has been teaching for 19 years. He received his undergraduate degree from Michigan State University and master’s degree from the University of Akron. Prior to his tenure at North High School, Mr. Cleveland taught on the faculties of Grosse Pointe South High School, The College of Wooster, The University of Michigan- Flint, and Imlay City Community Schools. He has spent many summers teaching at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp and is presently an adjudicator and board member for the Leonard Falcone International Euphonium and Tuba Festival. He has also served on the executive board for the Michigan Music Educators Association. Mr. Cleveland was the founder of the Grosse Pointe Middle School Honors Band Program and co-chair of the district’s most recent music curriculum revision.
As a performing musician, Mr. Cleveland has been featured on several professional recordings, and in 1992 he was selected as the winner of the prestigious Leonard Falcone International Euphonium Festival Competition.
This is Mr. Cleveland’s 12th year directing the instrumental music program at Grosse Pointe North High School. During this time, the enrollment of the North High School instrumental program has grown to record numbers and his students have been recognized for their outstanding performances throughout the Midwest, New York City, Boston, Florida, and Canada. There are currently over 230 students in the North Band and Orchestra Program!
The North musicians can be seen at many events throughout our community. The pep band can be heard at all football and basketball games, or at the Homecoming Parade and Grosse Pointe Santa Parade; the all-student pit orchestra performs in the winter for the school musical; and the jazz band performs annually at the “Music-on-the-Plaza” Summer Concert Series along with several other community events.
Mr. Cleveland is most proud of the many students that continue to use their musical talents after graduating North by performing at the college level and beyond.