Philadelphian violinist David Matthew Brown is the founder and artistic director of illumine, a violin-voice-piano trio ensemble that champions its unconventional instrumentation, works by living composers, obscure works of history, and performance practice reform. He has performed as a soloist with orchestras including the Csik Chamber Orchestra (Romania)–with which he was also guest concertmaster–the Vidin Sinfonietta (Bulgaria), and the Newark Symphony. His teachers include Charles Ponall, Sylvia Ahramjian, Xiang Gao, and Ari Isaacman-Beck.
Equally active as a composer, David’s compositions have been performed, commissioned, and/or recorded by the New Russia State Symphony Orchestra, Csik Chamber Orchestra, Vidin Sinfonietta, International Opera Theater, Network for New Music, LINK Ensemble, 6ixwire Project, and Alter Ego Chamber Opera, of which he was a founding member.
Moreover, David is a conductor, tuba player, Celtic fiddler, mandolinist, and has composed over fifty Celtic jigs, reels, hornpipes, and other dance forms. He holds music degrees from West Chester University (BM, ‘11) and the University of Delaware (MM, ’13). By day, he is campaign manager for Delco Victory 2021–Delaware County’s Democratic, coordinated, countywide elections–a member of the PA State Democratic Committee, and Vice-Chair of the PA Secular Democrats.
