David Brophy
Appointed Principal Conductor of the RTÉ Concert Orchestra in 2007, David Brophy is the leading Irish conductor of his generation. His career, while primarily based in Ireland, has taken him to many parts of Europe, Africa, America and Canada. He studied in Ireland, England and Holland, was appointed apprentice conductor with the National Chamber Choir of Ireland and was subsequently the first person to be appointed assistant conductor with the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland.
David has collaborated with many internationally acclaimed soloists, among them, Tasmin Little and Lesley Garret, and conducted the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra at the spectacular opening ceremony of the Special Olympics World Games in 2003. He worked in the US with the Valdosta Symphony Orchestra, in Spain with Orquesta Nacional Clásica de Andorra and Orquestra Sinfónica de Galicia, and with all the major Irish orchestras. He has worked with specialist new music ensembles Vox 21 and Crash Ensemble and has given world premières of works by leading Irish composers. He has conducted numerous tours with Co-Opera, Lyric Opera Productions, Opera Theatre Company and Opera Ireland. David has also worked closely with singer-songwriters such as Eleanor McEvoy, Paul Brady, Brian Kennedy and Declan O’Rourke, composers including Shaun Davey, Neil Martin, Bill Whelan and Arvo Pärt and traditional musicians, among them, Altan, Liam O’Flynn, Séamus Begley, Sharon Corr, Máirtín O’Connor, The Chieftains, Rita Connolly, Carlos Núñez, Sharon Shannon and Martin Hayes. His broad musical tastes have also led to collaborations with U2, Sinéad O’Connor, Jon Lord (Deep Purple) and Duke Special. He has performed at all major festivals in Ireland, most recently with the RTÉCO at the Electric Picnic. David has broadcast on RTÉ, BBC, CBC (Canada) and EBU and has recorded on Silva Screen and Tara Records. His television appearances include the National Concert Hall’s 25th anniversary gala concert and film credits include Shaun Davey’s score for The Abduction Club and Ella Enchanted. He has featured on numerous RTÉ Television programmes including the Symphony Sessions (RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra) and a special feature with Altan and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra. He recently featured as pianist on the RTÉ Lyric FM documentary ‘From the Darkness’ which examined the life and works of Irish composer, Ina Boyle.
David lectures at the TU Dublin Conservatory of Music and Drama and is currently working towards a PhD researching performance practice in eighteenth-century orchestral music with particular reference to the symphonies of Haydn. In particular, the research deals with the evolution of performance practice as witnessed in recordings of Haydn’s symphonies following the advent of the electronic recording process in 1925.
David has completed a number of articles for The Encyclopaedia of Music in Ireland (UCD Press, 2013) including entries on the Phoenix Hall, the Orchestra of Saint Cecilia, Bryden Thompson, Audrey Park and Gerard Murphy and has recorded a number of CDs with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra and the Irish Film Orchestra on the RTÉ Lyric FM, Silva Screen and Tara Records labels.
