King Edward III once said: "If you want to train a longbowman, start with his grandfather." This adage holds just as true for British euphonium soloist David Childs who was born in the Yorkshire village of Grimethorpe in 1981, to a family whose name had been synonymous with the euphonium for the last two generations. His grandfather, John was born in the Welsh valleys and was a well-respected euphonium player and conductor who inspired his sons, Robert & Nicholas to play euphonium. Robert began teaching his son David from an early age and in recent years David has emerged as one of the finest brass soloists of his generation.In the year 2000 he broke new ground for the euphonium becoming the first euphonium soloist ever to win the brass final of the televised ’BBC Young Musician of the Year’ competition, and in the same year was awarded the coveted ‘Euphonium Player of the Year’ title, a title he won again in 2004 and still holds today. Since that time David has been instrumental in raising the profile of the euphonium in the classical world of music and has not ceased to wow audiences with his astonishing technique, extrovert musicality and engaging stage presence.At twenty-five years of age David is in the early stages of his career, but has already toured extensively performing as a soloist in Australia, the Middle East, Japan, Hong Kong, Europe and the U.S.A. He is a keen advocate of new music and has premièred six new concerti for euphonium including a Royal Albert Hall radiobroadcast of Alun Hoddinott’s, ’The Sunne Rising - The King Will Ride’. David has performed on BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 3, Classic fm, channel 4 television and BBC 2 television. He has also been featured in the Gramophone, Classical Music and MUSO music magazines.David has had the pleasure of performing as a soloist with some of the UK’s finest orchestras including the BBC Philharmonic, Royal Philharmonic, BBC Concert Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of Wales and Sinfonia Cymru. He has given solo performances at a number of high profile music festivals including the BBC Proms, Melbourne International Festival, Cheltenham International Festival and the Welsh Proms. He also became the first euphonium soloist to give recitals in London’s most prestigious recital venues; the Wigmore Hall and the South Bank’s Purcell Room.David has already achieved a great deal as a young euphonium soloist and received many awards in recognition: a Silver Medal from the Worshipful Company of Musicians; a Star Award from the Countess of Munster; the Musicians Benevolent’ Sir Charles Leggett Award; the Welsh Music Guild’s Leo Abse & Cohen Award; the BBC Radio Wales Soloist Award and the Harry Mortimer Award for Outstanding Achievement. As a Schreiber-Keilwerth York Artist David is leading the way for a new generation of euphonium players worldwide; he is proving the euphonium as a serious solo vehicle within the world of classical music whilst remaining dedicated to British style brass band movement. With several new commissions on the horizon, David is sure to continue raising the euphonium’s profile through his own unique performances.
