David Stanhope David is a freelance conductor, composer, and pianist. Engagements with the Australian Opera, State Opera of South Australia and Opera Queensland have included the Australian stage premiere season of Berg’s Lulu, the Sydney and Melbourne premieres of Janacek’s The Makropulos Secret, as well as seasons of Peter Grimes, Hansel and Gretel, Salome, Ariadne auf Naxos, Eugene Onegin, La Traviata, Jenufa, Fidelio, Albert Herring, Turn of the Screw, Dialogues of the Carmelites, and The Pearl Fishers. David is a guest conductor and recording artist for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation: he has recorded several CDs and held concerts and engagements with all the major Australian orchestras, Sydney Alpha Ensemble, The Australian Ballet, and the Australia Ensemble. He conducted Australian tours for the State Russian Ballet and the Kiev Ballet. David has conducted the soundtracks of Babe, Children of the Revolution, Paradise Road, and Passion. He is the hand “double” for Richard Roxburgh. David has written numerous compositions for all kinds of instrumental and vocal ensembles but is especially known as a writer for wind band and brass. He won the ensemble section of the International Horn Society composition contest in 1979 with a horn octet. Wind band and brass band works of his have been competition test pieces both in Britain and Australia. His compositions include several items commissioned for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Sydney 2000 Olympics and 2006 Asian Games; the suite for string orchestra, String Songs; the double trumpet Battle Concerto written for Geoffrey Payne and James Morrison; and the three-act opera Dracula. Tall Poppies has released CDs of his wind band music on Little Ripper!, and brass chamber music on Sydney Brass plays Stanhope. David played the horn for several years, mostly as a freelance musician. He was a member of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra before working in London. He moved to Sydney in 1979, becoming a foundation member of the Australia Ensemble in 1980. He also acted as guest Principal Horn with the Australian Opera and the Australian Chamber Orchestra. In 1984 he changed instrument to the bass trombone, freelancing with the Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide Symphony Orchestras. As a pianist, David has made recordings with EMI, and in 1980 undertook a concerto tour for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. ABC Classics has released several CDs with him as the solo pianist. Tall Poppies has released four CDs featuring him. His recording of the Chopin and Godowsky’s studies is also available on DVD. Gramophone Magazine has described him as ‘a towering athlete of the keyboard’, while Sir Charles Mackerras has described him as ‘an absolutely outstanding musician’.
Horn Ensemble Works
Cortettes | Cortettes | 1973–1974 | 4 horns |
Hornplayers' Retreat and Pumping | Hornplayers' Retreat and Pumping Song | 1979 | 8 horns |