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King Edward III once said: "If you want to train a longbowman, start with his grandfather." This adage holds just as true for British euphonium soloist David Childs, born in the mining village of Grimethorpe in 1981, to a family whose name had been synonymous with brass for the last two generations. His grandfather John was a well-respected euphonium player from the Welsh Valleys who inspired his sons, Robert & Nicholas to take up euphonium. Robert began teaching his son David from an early age and in recent years David has emerged as one of the finest brass soloists of his generation.
In the year 2000 he broke new ground for the euphonium becoming the first euphonium soloist to win the brass final of the televised 'BBC Young Musician of the Year’ which led to David’s highly acclaimed première performance of Philip Wilby’s Concerto for Euphonium with the BBC Philharmonic under the direction of Yan Pascal Totelier. In the same year David was awarded the coveted ‘Euphonium Player of the Year’ title, a title he won again in 2004 and still holds today. Since that time David has been instrumental in raising the euphonium’s profile in the classical world of music and has not ceased to wow audiences with his astonishing technique, extrovert musicality and engaging stage presence.
Still in the early stages of his career, David has already toured extensively performing as a soloist in Australia, the Middle East, Japan, Hong Kong, Europe and the U.S.A. He is a keen advocate of new music and has premièred seven concerti for euphonium including a Royal Albert Hall radiobroadcast of Alun Hoddinott's, 'Sunne Rising - The King Will Ride’. David has performed solos on BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 3, Classic fm, channel 4 television, BBC 2 television, BBC 1 television and S4C. He has also been featured in the Classic fm, Gramophone, Classical Music, and MUSO magazines.
David has had the pleasure of performing as a soloist with some of the UK’s finest orchestras including the BBC Philharmonic, Royal Philharmonic, BBC Concert Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of Wales and Sinfonia Cymru. He has given solo performances at a number of high profile music festivals including the BBC Proms, Melbourne International Festival, Cheltenham International Festival and the Welsh Proms. He also became the first euphonium soloist to give recitals in London’s most prestigious recital venues; the Wigmore Hall and the South Bank’s Purcell Room.
Having already achieved a great deal as a euphonium soloist David has received many awards in recognition: a Silver Medal from the Worshipful Company of Musicians; a Star Award from the Countess of Munster; the Musicians Benevolent’ Sir Charles Leggett Award; the Welsh Music Guild’s Leo Abse & Cohen Award; the BBC Radio Wales Soloist Award and the Harry Mortimer Award for Outstanding Achievement. David is an endorsee for Buffet Crampon Paris and performs exclusively on their Besson euphonium range. He also has a 'signature' mouthpiece produced by Alliance, and a solo series with Prima Vista Musikk publishing house. He has recorded seven solo albums on the Doyen label, and has appeared as a featured soloist on several other commercial discs including EMI’s This Land of Ours.
Having made debuts in Los Angeles, Hawaii and Rome last year, 2010 sees David make his debut in Carnegie Hall New York giving the US première of Karl Jenkins’ Concerto for Euphonium, a work he’s already performed with the BBC Concert Orchestra, Sinfonia Cymru and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales in the UK. With four additional appearances in the US, several recording projects, and a number of performances throughout Europe planned for the year ahead, David is leading the way for a new generation of euphonium players worldwide. Through his own unique performances he continues to prove the euphonium as a serious solo vehicle within the world of classical music.
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