David Loeb - BTP Co-Director of Music

David Loeb, pianist, conductor, arranger, orchestrator, composer, music director and music educator, devotes his musical life to performing, arranging, and conducting all genres of music for stage, television, recordings and film.  He studied at the prestigious Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York where, immediately after graduation, Dave had the great fortune to land a job as music director, pianist and arranger for Tony Award-winning entertainer Ben Vereen and went on to establish a successful career as a top musical artist in Southern California. 

He has performed in orchestras for many theatrical shows in Los Angeles including Disney’s The Lion King, Hairspray, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Wicked and Beauty and the Beast, which he also conducted. He has played on several Broadway classics that were brought to the small screen including Pippin starring Ben Vereen, Gypsy starring Bette Midler, and The Music Man starring Matthew Broderick and has been featured in recordings for films including The Birdcage starring Robin Williams and the Academy Award-winning score for Walt Disney’s animated classic, Pocahontas.  Dave has also conducted several Broadway shows presented in Las Vegas including Jersey Boys and The Producers and was musical director for Twyla Tharp’s production, Sinatra Dance With Me. 

Dave has performed with many renowned jazz musicians and vocalists including Nancy Wilson and Dee Dee Bridgewater, and conducted the Atlanta, Dallas, Pacific and National Symphony Orchestras for Ben Vereen.  He was principal keyboardist with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra and has been featured as piano soloist and accompanist for an eclectic array of artists including Celine Dion, Diana Ross, Audra McDonald, Patti LuPone, Kristen Chenoweth, and Bernadette Peters, among many others.

Currently, Dave is Director of Jazz Studies and Associate Professor of Music at The University of Nevada Las Vegas. Under his direction, the UNLV Jazz Studies Program achieved international recognition and received distinguished honors. Dave is a recipient of the most prestigious award in the arts given by the Nevada System of Higher Education: The Board of Regents’ Creative Activity Award.