A French composer, saxophonist and conductor born in 1974 in Paris.
A saxophone player by training, Vincent David studied at the Paris Conservatory, where he obtained a First Prize for the saxophone in 1996. Distinguished in several international competitions for the saxophone, David has performed with prestigious orchestras and ensembles, taking part in contemporary premieres including Dialogue de l’ombre double by Pierre Boulez, Troisième Round by Bruno Mantovani and Trame XIII by Martin Matalon. He is also committed to improvised music and jazz through his encounters with musicians such as Pierrick Pedron, Christophe Monniot and Jean-Charles Richard.
Brought up in French 20th century music, notably that of Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel and later the music of Béla Bartók, György Ligeti, Olivier Messiaen and Pierre Boulez as well as jazz, David cultivates both curiosity and openness. Highlighting virtuosity, vocality and the poetic accents, his compositions develop the energy and the vitality of the rhythm. David opens out the musical and technical possibilities of the saxophone in his solo pieces, concertos and chamber music. His works include Sillage for soprano saxophone, first performed by the composer in Rochester, USA (2014); Duo Selmer for two saxophones, first performed by Claude Delangle and Tim McAllister at the Congrès Mondial du Saxophone in Strasburg(2015); Reflets for alto saxophone and wind band, first performed by the composer and the Navy Band Orchestra in Washington (2016); In Pulse for alto saxophone, piano, double bass and drums, first CD recording by the composer, Sébastien Vichard, Nicolas Crosse and Éric Échampard (2017), a work with which he won the Grand Prix Lycéen des Compositeurs and the Prix des Collégiens in 2021; Rhizome for alto saxophone and string ensemble, first performed by the composer and the Zabreb Soloists at the World Saxophone Congress of Zagreb in Croatia (2018); Arches, concerto for soprano saxophone and orchestra, first performed in China by the composer and the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra (2018); Linéal for saxophone and orchestra, first performed by the composer and the Catalan Orchestra of Andorra, at the Andorra Sax Fest (2021).
An acknowledged pedagogue, Vincent David is committed to transmitting his experience and his passion for music. He teaches at the Versailles Conservatory and, since 2019, at the Royal Brussels Conservatory, also giving many masterclasses around the world.
