David Kai grew up in Toronto attending the Centennial-Japanese United Church. He is a graduate of the University of Toronto, the Humber College music program where he specialized in arranging and composing, and The Centre for Christian Studies. Commissioned as a diaconal minister in 1987, David served in pastoral charges in Birtle, Manitoba, Orleans and Ajax, Ontario. David has written hymn tunes and arrangements in collaboration with authors and composers such as Ruth Duck, Linnea Good, Pat Mayberry and Brian Wren. He was a member of the committee that produced the Voices United hymn book, and also provided music for the Bible Quest curriculum and the More Voices hymn supplement. He is currently on the committee that is preparing the Then Let Us Sing hymn resource in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the United Church of Canada in 2025. His hymns and arrangements have appeared in hymn books and collections in Canada, China, the UK and the USA. As a musician, David has performed with groups and musicians such as Linnea Good, Bruce Harding, the Union United Church Gospel Choir, Terry Watada, and in bands playing styles from calypso and reggae to Christian rock, country and gospel. He has served as a musician at many national and international gatherings. The music of David Kai seeks to promote faith, justice and the inclusion of all God's people.
