David Hartman: a musician, teacher, performer, and director with a reputation for his musical talents and helpful involvement in the community and performing arts programs. The inner musician in him started to shine through at a young age, and proceeds to to this day.

    Hartman has been teaching music for twenty six years, a musician since fifth grade. As a kid who grew up during the rise of rock and roll music, he wanted to be a guitar player.

    “I used to air guitar to Kiss’ [album] Alive! and that was my inspiration to be a musician at first,” Hartman said.

    For young Hartman to get his rock and roll on, his mom gave him a small ultimatum, which he was happy to complete.

    “For me to get a guitar and start guitar lessons, I had to take lessons at school, and those were for violin, so I just kept both,” Hartman said.

    Over time Hartman’s musical skills improved. In addition to the lessons, he believed this was due to the musicality of his mother. He also changed his dream career path from being a musician to being a music teacher since his mother taught at Indiana Public Schools.

    “[My mother] always played music at home, so that factored into me gravitating towards music and having some skill at it,” Hartman said. “Just because I was around it all the time with her.”

    Music is a shared love amongst the Hartman family: his mother plays accordion, his father played clarinet, his twin brother sang in show choir, his middle brother plays guitar, bass and was in show choir, and his youngest brother is the best saxophone player he knows. Hartman’s aunt Loesja also has a musical streak. She has been the director for a German choir for thirty years and Hartman’s uncle is the president of the choir. With his involvement in NHS performing arts, Hartman belts it out with the German choir as well.

    “I can sing, but I’m no vocalist,” Hartman said with a laugh.

    What Hartman can do and loves to do, is play violin. Violin is also what inspired his love for theatre, and the reason he helps direct NHS plays and musicals now.

    “The first time I played in the pit orchestra, I was starstruck,” Hartman said. “Everything sounded so good, it felt like I was in a broadway [show.]”

    To this day music still has the ability to leave Hartman starstruck. More specifically, directing music is something he is very proud of and passionate about.

    “I love teaching the classes that I have,” Hartman said.

    Not only does he love the direction of music, he also enjoys the production of it. Hartman speaks highly of both you can just sense his joy.

    “[When making music] you share energy together, you create something, [and] you’re part of something bigger than yourself,” Hartman said. “Those are the types of things that keep me going.”