David Hite

Bio:

Born in New Straitsville Ohio, David Hite studied clarinet with Fred Weaver, Daniel Bonade and Anthony Gigliotti. In 1941, he enrolled in the Ohio State University School of Music later graduating after he completed his US Army service. In 1972 he completed his Master of Arts Degree in Music, also at Ohio State. During World War II he served in Guam and Okinawa as a band musician. After the war, he played bass clarinet in the Columbus Philharmonic Orchestra where he met his first wife, the bassoonist and critic Rosemary Curtin Hite. In addition he performed with the Berkshire Music Festival Orchestra at Tanglewood where he played under Serge Koussevitzky. From 1954 to 1978 he was professor of music at the Capital University Music Conservatory where he founded the Capital University Clarinet Choir. He left Columbus in 1983, to move to New York City, where he specialized in customizing and fine tuning clarinets, working with the leading players of the time. Later he settled in Fort Myers Florida. From the 1940s on, while teaching and playing, Hite also worked continuously on the development of a superior clarinet mouthpiece. With his second wife Jean Hite he founded the J&D Hite Mouthpiece Company in the 1980s. He was internationally recognized for his hand-finished J & D Hite clarinet and saxophone mouthpieces. The David Hite, and later J&D Hite, Premiere Mouthpiece was noted as one of the finest student mouthpieces made, enhancing the abilities of thousands of clarinet players throughout the U.S. The custom-made professional Hite mouthpiece was played by many symphony and band musicians. Following Hite's death in 2004 in Fort Myers, the Hite mouthpiece is now owned and distributed by the JJ Babbitt Company of Elkhart, Indiana.

Titles:

Arrangements:

1961 SS65 – Pavane
1968 and 1996 10443261 – Allegro in A minor, Op. 74, No. 3
2002 B551 – Studio Progressivo
1966 SS707 – Sonata in F Major
1967 SS727 – Menuetto from String Quartet in G Major, K. 387
2000 B543 – Forty Studies
1963 SS97 – Sonata in g Minor
1966 SS715 – Serenade, Op. 85, No. 4
1988 ST727 – The Girl With the Flaxen Hair (La fille aux cheveux de lin)
1992 B496 – Foundation Studies
1966 SS713 – Introduction and Rondo
2003 B555 – Sixteen Etudes
1966 SS696 – Praeludium and Fugue in d Minor
1966 SS711 – Concert Piece
1991 ST867 – Introduction Theme and Variations
1966 SS714 – Slumber Song
1966 SS716 – Adagio and Rondo
1988 ST708 – Petite Piece (Little Piece)
R96 – Concerto in B-flat
1990 ST848 – Adagio and Tarantella
1991 R89 – Introduction, Theme and Variations for Clarinet and Orchestra
1991 ST999 – Adagio
1965 SS193 – Divertissement
1991 ST869 – Il Convegno
1991 ST986 – Adagio
1988 ST707 – Premiere Rhapsody
1966 SS718 – Larghetto from Clarinet Quintet, K581
1989 B398 – Foundation Studies
1961 SS64 – Scherzo
1963 SS96 – Allegro Vivace (from K387)
1961 SS63 – Concertino
2000 B539 – Six Grand Duets
1965 SS202 – Finale, Op. 77 No. 1
B495 – Foundation Studies
1999 B538 – Three Grand Artistic Duets
R91 – Premiere Rhapsody for Clarinet and Band
1989 ST726 – Concerto No. 3 in Bb
1966 SS717 – Andante and Scherzo
2002 B552 – Ten Duets from Metodo Progressivo
1992 SU1 – Sicilienne
1964 SS159 – Sonata in a Minor
1966 SS720 – Ancient Menuet
1966 SS710 – Bourree from Third Cello Suite
1966 SS719 – Rondo
1966 SS712 – Adagio and Gigue