David Honeyball became an international conductor through his dynamic interpretation of brass music with the London Brass Virtuosi, which he founded in 1982. Since then he has conducted choirs and orchestras throughout the United Kingdom and Europe from the Philharmonia Orchestra to the Holst Singers, Zurich Chamber Orchestra to the Exeter Cathedral Choir to the Orchestra Sinfonica Siciliana. 

Honeyball studied tuba with John Fletcher and piano with Peter Pettinger at the Royal Academy of Music, and in 1997 he was elected an ARAM for achieving distinction in music. 

Early in his career David was invited by Philip Jones to become a soloist with his world renowned Philip Jones Brass Ensemble. He went on to play with all the major orchestras and ensembles including the London Symphony Orchestra and Nash Ensemble and spent three years at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden. He was also busy in the studio recording film and pop music. 

He has conducted at many of the world’s leading festivals including Prague, Helsinki, Zurich, Edinburgh, Aldeburgh, Cheltenham, Exeter, and the City of London Festivals. His BBC Proms debut at the Royal Albert Hall in 1988 was with the BBC Singers and London Brass Virtuosi. 

David Honeyball broadcasts frequently on the Radio and has made a number of award winning recordings for Hyperion including a Gramophone Award, and The Royal Eurostar CD featuring the Philharmonia Orchestra and London Brass Virtuosi received the American Record Review Award in 1996. 

He has given Masterclasses at conservatoires around Europe including London’s Royal Academy of Music, the Milano Music Conservatoire, Pitea School of Music Sweden, and the Gulbenkian Foundation Lisbon. 

David wrote a six-part radio series for Classic FM, and was for some time the music critic for the Hampstead & Highgate Express. 

His role as a festival director has been taken him around the world. Having  held a number of posts in the UK, including directing the Celebrations for the State Opening of the Channel Tunnel by Her Majesty the Queen in 1994, and the National European Youth Orchestras Festival, in 2002 he founded Spain’s vibrantly colourful Jimena International Festival in Andalucia securing Queen Sofia as President, and in 2004 Kenya’s Kijani International Festival. Dedicated to raising funds for aids the Festival is now a thriving multi-cultural and fund-raising celebration. 

In 2008 David and his London Brass Virtuosi celebrates its 25th anniversary with a new Trumpet Concerto for Alison Balsom, and an extensive education programme and a UK tour. 

His plans also include a Far East Tour in a combined performance and masterclass project with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, LBV and leading Asian brass players. 

He was recently invited for discussions with the 2012 London Olympics Cultural Team and hopes that the London Brass Virtuosi will be invited to take part in the Opening and Closing Ceremonies.

This page was last updated - Wednesday, 22 August 2007 22:22

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