David Leonhardt, pianist and bandleader, and his jazz ensemble will perform at West Virginia Wesleyan College Monday, March 15 at 7:30 p.m. in Wesley Chapel. Performing along with the ensemble is the Shelly Oliver Tap Dancers.

Leonhardt’s twenty-five years of professional experience has included television and radio, concerts and festivals, nightclubs, and private parties. He has recorded over a dozen CD’s as leader and guest artist, including the highly popular series Tap Music for Tap Dancers. He has appeared internationally throughout North and South America, Europe, the Middle and Far East.

Leonhardt is a nationally noted music educator and has been on the faculty at Lehigh University and Lafayette College. He is a published author with several music method books to his credit and a columnist for “Piano Today” magazine. He teaches clinics and master classes nationally and is on the roster of Pennsylvania Artist on Tour.

Accompanying the jazz group is the Shelly Oliver Tap Dancers. The dancers are a high caliber ensemble of three women tap dancers that presents energetic concerts, and interactive lectures on jazz tap that inform and entertain. They perform original choreography by Ms. Oliver and historic tap routines. Each dancer is a strong soloist in jazz tap improvisation with diverse experience including television, video, stage, and concert appearances.

This project is partially supported by a grant from Pennsylvania Performing Arts On Tour, a program developed and funded by the Vira I. Heinz Endowment, The William Penn Foundation, The Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, and The Pew Charitable Trusts and Administered by Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation.

To find out more about the Arts Alive! Series, visit the West Virginia Wesleyan College website at www.wvwc.edu.