David Berry III

David Berry III serves as Associate Professor of Music and Chair of the Music Department at Eastern Mennonite University (EMU), concurrently acting as Interim Associate Dean for the School of Theology, Humanities, and Performing Arts. He also holds the role of Artistic Director for the Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival.

Education: BM (Piano Performance with High Distinction) from Eastman School of Music; MM and DMA (Piano Performance) from Juilliard School.

Research interests focus on multi-style improvisation, piano arrangement techniques, and cultural intersections in music performance. Notable performances include Brahms' Piano Concerto No. 1 and James P. Johnson's Yamekraw, with collaborations at Carnegie Hall and the Juilliard Focus Festival. His arrangements of spirituals are widely performed, including in Brigham Young University's Untold Stories Piano Competition.

Recent artistic output includes contributions to Navona Records' Adolphus Hailstork - Chamber Works (2024) and a published collection of hymn arrangements through Lorenz Corporation (2024). Upcoming projects include a track on Tiny Glass Tavern Ensemble's Let Us Sing, Let Us Dance (2025).

Professional service includes roles with the Gateways Music Festival's artistic committee and adjudication/clinician work at institutions such as the University of Georgia and Virginia Music Teacher Association. Teaching focuses on integrating improvisation and historical performance practices into contemporary pedagogy.