David Rowden is an internationally recognised professional clarinettist based in Sydney. With a career spanning twenty years, David has performed in the UK, France, Italy, Germany, Japan, South Korea, China, the USA, Australia and New Zealand. David’s playing has attracted excellent reviews from the press: his performances have been described as displaying “superb technique and artistry” (Limelight Magazine, 2018), and as being “expressive, accurate and nuanced” (International Clarinet Association, 2016).

After studying at the Royal Academy of Music in London (2001-2005), David founded the Omega Ensemble, a leading Australian chamber music organisation that champions the creation of new music by Australian and international composers. David has overseen the growth of the organisation to its recent status as Ensemble in Residence at City Recital Hall (2014-2016). David is currently artistic director of the organisation and over the past fifteen years has initiated the commissioning and performance of over fifty new works for the Ensemble by composers including: Nico Muhly, Paul Stanhope, Daniel McCallum, Matthew Hindson, Christopher Gordon, Elena Kats-Chernin AM and Lou Bennett AM.

David’s career has included performing solo, chamber and orchestral repertoire in prestigious venues and festivals worldwide including the Sydney Opera House, City Recital Hall (Sydney), Castlemaine Festival (Victoria), Newcastle Art Gallery, the Melbourne Recital Centre as well as at Julliard School of Music (New York), the Royal Albert Hall (London) and the Beijing Central Conservatory (China). David’s performances are featured regularly on ABC Classic radio station broadcast nationally.

In 2001, David was offered scholarships to study at the Royal Academy of Music, the Guildhall and the Royal College of Music. On completion of his degree at the Royal Academy of Music, David won the coveted Geoffrey Hawkes Prize for Clarinet Performance in 2004. More recently, in 2016, David was awarded an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music (ARAM) for his significant contribution to the music profession. David has studied with world-leading clarinet soloists and awarded scholarships to attend summer schools at the Longy School of Music, (Boston), Accademia Musicale Chigiana (Siena), Academie de Villecroze (France) and Pacific Music Festival (Japan).

David’s career as a solo performer and chamber artist has included collaborations with artists including Emma Matthews (soprano), Paul Meyer (conductor/clarinet), Nico Muhly (composer), Dimitri Ashkenazy (clarinet) and Timo-Veikko Valve (cello).

Recordings of David’s performances have included his debut album, Mozart - Munro - Palmer which was a collaboration with ABC Classic released internationally through Universal Music Australia. His second album with ABC Classic was recorded and released in 2019, which was a collaboration with Internationally-renowned composer Nico Muhly. In September 2020, David will give the Digital World Premiere of Gordon Kerry’s Clarinet Quintet on stage at the Sydney Opera House, broadcast live to a global audience.