MYS Summer Programs

David Eby, founding cellist for the internationally acclaimed band, Pink Martini, has an active performing and teaching career on the West Coast. He performs with The Bodhi Trio, The Oregon Symphony and Portland Cello Project, and is Director of Advanced Strings at Oregon Episcopal School.

As a youth, David made his solo debut with the Pittsburgh Symphony at age 16 and attended the Tanglewood and Aspen Music Festivals. He studied at the Eastman School of Music and received the Performer’s Certificate and BM degree under the tutelage of Paul Katz of the Cleveland Quartet. He had the great privilege of studying under Janos Starker at Indiana University, where he received his MM degree. He was the Principal Cellist of the Evansville Philharmonic and the Owensboro Symphony Orchestras, and founding cellist for the Evansville String Quartet. He was also the founding cellist for the musical storytelling troupe, Tales & Scales, where he developed his composing, improvising and acting abilities.

Along with 25 years of private teaching, he has taught at the Meadowmount School of Music, Louisville Suzuki Institute, Ithaca Chamber Music Institute, and Point Counterpoint.

From 2001-2013 he served as music director for Ananda Worldwide, conducting choirs and orchestras of meditators. He was recently featured in the Hollywood film, Finding Happiness, and continues to explore and share the connections between music and consciousness that become present in inspired performance. His bi-weekly blogs appear on his website, DavidEbyMusic.com.

His discography includes Sympathique with Pink Martini, Mystic Harp 2, Secrets of Love, Relax: Meditations for Flute and Cello, and Song of the Nightingale for Crystal Clarity Publishers.

Chris McCurdy is serving his fourth year as the Band Director at Grant High School in Portland, Oregon. At Grant, he teaches two levels of concert band, a jazz improvisation lab, and three levels of jazz ensemble. Seasonally, he directs the symphony orchestra, pit orchestra, and athletic bands. Prior to joining the staff at Grant, Mr. McCurdy taught for four years at Lakeridge High School and Lakeridge Middle School in Lake Oswego, Oregon.

As a performer, Chris can be found playing saxophone for various big bands and funk groups in Portland. He is a graduate of the University of Oregon, B.Mus, Music Education; M.Mus, Music Education, studying conducting with Dr. Rodney Dorsey and pedagogy with Dr. Eric Wiltshire. He was recently recognized as a member of the 2025 Yamaha “40 Under 40” list, celebrating excellence in music education.

In his free time, Chris can be found biking or camping around the Northwest with his dog Basie and eating his way through the Portland food scene with his partner Jacquelyn.