Multi-faceted musician Zylaxis (David M. Shere) began playing the piano at the age of six, studying classical music privately, taking an almost immediate interest in composition and improvisation, and performing in numerous recitals throughout his childhood.

At the age of fifteen David took up the acoustic guitar, teaching himself folk music, later taking up the electric guitar and pursuing interests in rock, blues and jazz through private lessons with instructor Bob Tauber in Dayton, OH. After his family relocated to Chicago, IL in 1989, David took up giving private guitar lessons in 1992 through Perry's Music in Villa Park, IL, and performing in various local cover bands. In 1995, David began studying jazz and performing in student jazz ensembles as a part-time student at College of Dupage in Glen Ellyn, IL, under the direction of Tom Tallman, playing both guitar and piano.                                               

In 1997, David began teaching at Suburban Music in Wheaton, IL, giving lessons on both guitar and piano in a diversity of styles including jazz, folk, classical and rock. He enrolled in College of Dupage full-time to study music theory and composition, and to pursue an A.A. degree. He also formed the eclectic rock group Populace, and began touring the Chicago suburbs, playing numerous successful gigs and building an enthusiastic fan base. Between 1997 and 1999, the band recorded two full-length demo albums (one tape and one CD) entitled Let Me Do the Talking and Take Some. In December 1999, David recorded a third full-length demo, Reflections from a Forgotten World, a solo project strongly emphasizing his instrumental and compositional abilities. This project opened the door for him to session for producer/composer Steve Wick at Gap Digital recording studios in Wheaton IL, working on the project Left Behind: The Kids' Series, sponsored by Tyndale House Publishing. In June 2000, he received his A.A. from C.O.D, and moved to California to pursue further music studies at University of California at Santa Barbara with internationally renowned composer Jeremy Haladyna. After a year as an undergrad at UCSB, David transferred to Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, WA to finish his Bachelor's degree in Music Composition.

David graduated magna cum laude from Cornish in May 2003. At Cornish, he studied both composition and piano performance with Amy Rubin, Janice Giteck, Peter Mack and Roger Nelson. He also had the tremendous privilege of performing as a guitarist in a student jazz-fusion combo led by legendary trombonist and teacher extraordinaire Julian Priester. In September of 2003, David returned to UC Santa Barbara to pursue graduate studies in Music Composition. As a composer, David has had acoustic and electronic works performed by the Odeon string quartet, led by cellist Paige Stockley and Seattle Symphony violinist Gennady Filiminov, the Seattle Chamber Players, CREATE, and the UCSB Ensemble for Contemporary Music. His recent installation work "Faces of the Elder Gods" was included in the Spring 2005 ECM Primavera Festival.

 UPDATE [1/02/07]: David completed his Master of Arts [M.A.] degree in Music Composition at UC Santa Barbara in June of 2006, and officially received his M.A. certificate in November 2006.

 UPDATE [12/15/07]: David recently earned a doctoral degree in music composition at UCSB, where he studied with Corwin Chair of Composition Clarence Barlow, Professor Scott Marcus, Dr. Jeremy Haladyna, Dr. JoAnn Kuchera-Morin, and Dr. Curtis Roads. David completed his doctoral dissertation in Music Theory and Composition at UC Santa Barbara in September of 2007, and officially received his Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy) diploma in December 2007. In his spare time, David continues conducting long-term private research projects into the lives of inventor Nikola Tesla and novelist H.P. Lovecraft, with intent to incorporate their stories into his music. David continues to develop his guitar skills and record his powerful and eclectic brand of rock-fusion instrumental music.