BIOGRAPHY
– • • •｜• • • ,
One of the most promising Portuguese Canadian clarinetists of his generation. Distinguishing himself with his sensitive playing, David maintains an international schedule as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral player.
Born in Montreal, Canada, David was raised by a Portuguese family, before they moved back to Portugal, where he started his musical education. He studied at the Escola Professional de Música de Viana do Castelo and at the Escola Superior de Música e Artes do Espectáculo of Porto, with Professors Iva Barbosa and Antonio Saiote. David holds a Master in Performance and a Soloist Diploma from the Musik Akademie der Stadt Basel (Switzerland), under the tutelage of Francois Benda, in addition to an Artist Diploma from the Schulich School of Music at McGill University in Montreal, in the clarinet classes of Jean-François Normand and Alain Desgagné.
A grand-prize winner of both the “Prix d’Europe” and Canadian Music Competition’s “Stepping Stone” in 2016 in Canada, he has earned many other distinctions, with a total of twenty-eight national and international prizes, including 1st prizes at “Kiefer Hablitzel” Competition, Bern (Switzerland), "Fernando Raínho Valente" Competition, Aveiro (Portugal), International Young Artist Competition, Vancouver (Canada), “Terras de La Salette” Competition, Oliveira de Azeméis (Portugal), II National Clarinet Competition "Paços Premium”, Paços de Brandão (Portugal), 2nd prize at “Concours National d’Exécution Musicale”, Riddes (Switzerland).
He got a temporary contract as solo clarinet with the Sinfonieorchester Basel and won the position as co-principal clarinet at the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra. He has shared the stage with Hyogo Performing Center Orchestra (Japan), Macau Symphonic Orchestra, Camerata Zurich, Mendelssohn Kammerorchester (Germany), Musikdorf Ernen Festival (Switzerland), and at the moment he is a freelancer musician and beside his international solo and chamber music career, orchestra wise he is regular guest at Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Gulbenkian Orchestra (Portugal), Musikkollegium Winterthur, Basler Festival Orchester (Switzerland), among many others.
As a soloist, he has performed with the Orchestre National des Jeunes de Montreal, Orchestre Metropolitain de Montréal, Orchestre Symphonique de Drummondville, Edmonton Symphonic Orchestra, Orchestra Symphonique de l'Estuaire (Canada), Sinfonieorchester Basel, Kammerorchester Basel, among others. A member of the Portuguese Chamber Orchestra since 2009, David has been an artist at Jeunesse Musical Canada in Montreal since 2018 and was distinguished in 2022 as a "cidadão de mérito" of the city of Viana do Castelo.
BIOGRAPHY
CURIOSITY
In addition to his erudite standard classical concerts, David also participates in theatrical performances as a musician-actor, where the music, the dance and the theatre combine together in one unique voice. He has performed in Karlheinz Stockhausen’s renowned opera “Donnertstag aus Licht” at the Basel Theater, in the production of “Rei Édipo” at the Teatro Nacional D. Maria II in Lisbon, in the theatrical concert “Portraits et Fantaisies” on tour across Canada, he performed numerous performances of Anders Hillborg’s dramatic Clarinet Concerto, “Peacock Tales”, as well as being the creator and protagonist of the recent show “Acordai” dedicated to the city of Viana do Castelo, among many others.
NEWS
November 2024
Absolute debut of the new creation "Acordai" on a tour in the municipality of Viana do Castelo, a show celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Portuguese revolution.
February 2025
Première of the show "Harlekin" in Portugal, at the Teatro Municipal Sá de Miranda in Viana do Castelo.
February/March 2025
Tour with “Made in Trio” in Canada, at the provinces of Ontario and Quebec, with several concerts and masterclasses.
June 2025
Release of the 2nd album by "Philon Trio" by the label Calle440, with works by Rebecca Clarke and Gordon Jacob.