Kansas native David Sheets began his career as Associate Principal Bass of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra while still a sophomore at the Eastman School of Music, following a season as a section bassist with the orchestra. He later joined the Saint Louis Symphony before becoming, in 1996, the youngest member of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.

In addition to his work with the BSO, David has performed with many of the world’s leading ensembles, including the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Bergen Philharmonic, London’s Philharmonia Orchestra, and the Minnesota Orchestra, where he spent two seasons. Upon returning to Baltimore, he won the audition for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s Associate Principal Bass position at age 44.

Equally at home in jazz settings, David frequently performs in the rhythm section for BSO programs on both acoustic and electric bass. Since 2006, he has served on the faculty of the Asian Youth Orchestra, based in Hong Kong and in residence at the Tianjin Juilliard School. In 2019, he joined the faculty of the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, and has presented masterclasses at conservatories and music institutions around the world.