Professor David King: distinguished conductor
Avondale alumnus Professor David King has forged an astonishing international career as a university professor, award-winning brass performer, and one of the world’s most exciting and dynamic conductors of band music.
David King graduated from Avondale with a BA in Education in 1978, studying music under Alan Thrift.
After winning the Australian Cornet Championship in 1982, he gained a scholarship to study in Britain. There he won the North of England Solo Championship three years in a row (1983-1985), and became five-times winner of the British Open B-flat Cornet Solo Championship (1987-1991). In 1992 he won the title International Brass Musician of the Year.
From 1982 to 1989 David King conducted the Swinton Concert Band, achieving 36 first prizes out of 48 competitions. In 1990 he became the principal conductor of the Black Dyke Mills Band, then the most famous band in the world. For thirteen years from 1993 he led the Yorkshire Building Society Band to even greater heights, scoring astonishing achievements in concerts, competitions and recordings.
He and his bands won the European Brass Band Championships an unprecedented ten times, the Norwegian National Championships seven times, the coveted British Open Championships on four occasions, and the National Championships of Great Britain in 2010.
He has worked closely with many of the world’s internationally acclaimed composers, commissioning, choreographing, directing and premiering their work. He has made many highly acclaimed recordings, in 2003 winning the British Band World CD of the Year award.
His musical output has won superlative accolades from music commentators. Composer Martin Ellerby described “the electrifying intensity” of King’s performances. Chris Earl, editor of Australia’s Band World, wrote: “His enthusiasm to explore has seen him at the forefront of performance and compositional innovation.” Peter Wilson, editor of British Bandsman, wrote: “David King’s penetrating observation of the music’s meaning . . . produces performances that . . . his audiences will probably never hear bettered.”1
Avondale audiences have been privileged to hear three of these performances, one in 2005 when David King toured Australia with his legendary Yorkshire Building Society Band, and the other two in 2009 and 2011 when he brought to Avondale the National Australia Brass, comprised of leading brass players from all over Australia. David King has a warm regard for Avondale.
In 2000 David King gained the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Salford, Manchester, England, becoming the first recipient of a performance research doctorate in a British university. The university subsequently appointed him Chair of Music Performance. In this role he has been at the forefront of music education, attracting to the university students from all over the world.
In 2002 he was appointed music director of the massed bands for the closing ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in Manchester. In 2006 he was appointed conductor laureate to The Band of the Coldstream Guards, London, the first civilian musician to be linked with the Ministry of Defence in this capacity. In 2008 he became music adviser of the Federation of Australasian Brass Bands.
In September 2009 Professor King took early retirement from the University of Salford, where he has been awarded emeritus professorship. The Worshipful Company of Musicians, London, awarded him the prestigious Iles Medal in recognition of his services to British music.
He is presently working across two hemispheres, as principal conductor of the world famous Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band (UK), as guest conductor of Eikanger Bjorsvik (Norway) and as artistic director of National Australia Brass (Australia).
Professor King is founder and director of Qdos Institute of Musical Arts, an independent musical arts educational advisory service. He is also an artist and advisory consultant for Yamaha Music in Europe and Australia.
1 Comments cited in The British Bandsman, 28 June 2003.
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