Richard Davis | Weaver Artist Management

Melbourne – Australia

Richard Davis is the Chief Conductor and Head Of Orchestral Studies at the MELBOURNE CONSERVATORIUM OF MUSIC at the UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE.

He is a graduate of the ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, has enjoyed a long career as a professional flautist, holding the position of Principal Flute in the BBC PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA from 1984 to 2017 and is known for his conducting of wide-ranging repertoire which extends across many genres from television soundtracks to recording avant-garde world premieres and the performances of major symphonic repertoire.

He has been a regular conductor of the BBC PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA having programmed and conducted all the orchestras Family Concerts since 2009, the orchestra’s COME & SING events combined with the BBC SINGERS and the orchestra’s SIDE BY SIDE scheme bringing non-professional and professional playerstogether in live performances and radio broadcasts.

He has collaborated with animator, Tom Scott, to create the musical scores for animations for the BBC Family concerts then conducting the BBC PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA in the subsequent live performances. He conducted the BBC’s BOLLYWOOD PROM as part of the 2015 Proms season at the ROYAL ALBERT HALL, the BACHTRACK reviewer writing, …vibrancy and accuracy, Richard Davis navigated through yearning lines and briskly syncopated rhythms… his magnificently disciplined orchestra… superlative execution… rousing.

Other engagements with the BBC orchestras have included conducting the recording of Denis Browne’s ballet, THE COMIC SPIRIT as part of the BBC’s Gallipoli commemorative series, conducting the BBC PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA in a series of concerts including Stravinsky’s FIREBIRD SUITE, Beethoven’s SYMPHONY NO.5 and excerpts from Holst’s THE PLANETS SUITE at Manchester’s PHILHARMONIC STUDIOS, MEDIA CITY and BRIDGEWATER HALL, live concerts with the orchestra and rock group, THE 1975, for BBC RADIO 1‘s LIVE LOUNGE series which subsequently won best live performance of the year in the BBC MUSIC AWARDS, and also the orchestra’s support of rock group, CLEAN BANDIT in live concerts released by the WARNER label on DVD and CD and with with UK pop group, ELBOW.

His conducting of world premieres includes such diverse repertoire as Ivor Hodgson’s CINDERELLA for narrator/singer and orchestra, Fraser Trainer’s THE DUKE’S CUT for actors, six children’s choirs, improvised solo cello and orchestra, Richard Taylor’s SERVICES NO LONGER REQUIRED for two actors, tenor voice and chamber orchestra, a performance which was subsequently released on DVD and a current recording project of Linda Verrier’s FLEETING for flute, marimba, vibraphone and chamber orchestra featuring members of the BBC PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA.

Other recent engagements with the UK orchestras include the CITY OF BIRMINGHAM SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA‘s Bollywood dance concerts at BIRMINGHAM SYMPHONY HALL.

In Australia Davis is a regular guest conductor of the QUEENSLAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA having been engaged for concerts in Brisbane and Cairns with guitarist and vocalist, Ed Keupper, for its MUSIC ON SUNDAYS series, SYMPHONY UNDER THE STARS and the finals of the LEV VLASSENKO PIANO COMPETITION.

With the MELBOURNE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA he was originally engaged for the subsequently postponed premiere of Jame’s Macmillan’s REQUIEM and for CARMINA BURANA, has conducted the orchestra’s CYBEC SHOWCASE of new composer works during 2022 and the DORCAS INTERNATIONAL VIOLIN COMPETITION in all Mozart violin concerti drawing together players from the MELBOURNE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, ORCHESTRA VICTORIA and the Sydney, OPERA & BALLET ORCHESTRA.

He is a regular guest conductor the GEELONG SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA and has appeared over multiple concert seasons with the DUNEDIN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA.

His conducting of MELBOURNE UNIVERSITY‘s opera productions includes Poulenc’s DIALOGUES OF THE CARMELITES and Britten’s THE RAPE OF LUCRETIA and A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM and SUOR ANGELICA and GIANNI SCHICCHI.

RECORDINGS