David Brophy, Chief Conductor of the WDR Funkhausorchester (WDR Radio Orchestra) Cologne, is widely recognised as one of the most established Irish conductors. He has held positions throughout Ireland, including Principal Conductor with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra and titular positions with both the National Symphony Orchestra Ireland and the Chamber Choir Ireland.

The 2025/26 season sees performances with the WDR Funkhausorchester, both in Cologne and on tour, including an appearance at the Bratislava Music Festival. He also looks forward to multiple appearances in the concert hall and the recording studio with the NSO Ireland, RTÉ Concert Orchestra and the Ulster Orchestra. In November he will conduct the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra in a production The Two of Us: The Lennon & McCartney Songbook. In December 2025, he is invited to conduct the Rundfunk Sinfonieorchester Berlin for their festive concerts in a collaboration with Jazzrausch Bigband. David starts 2026 working with the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland, and is then re-invited to conduct the Scottish Chamber Orchestra at the Celtic Connections Festival.

In Europe, David has guest conducted orchestras such as Orquesta Nacional Clásica de Andorra, Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia, Aalborg Symfoniorkester, Oulu Symphony Orchestra. American engagements have included appearances with Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Buffalo Philharmonic, Nashville Symphony Orchestra, Naples Philharmonic, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra at The Kennedy Center, Washington D.C. He also performed at the Lincoln Center in New York with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra.

His London performances include appearances at the Barbican Centre as part of their Silent Film & Live Music series, and at Sadler’s Wells in fully staged ballet performances of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring and Petrushka with the Royal Ballet Sinfonia.

On the opera stage, David’s performances include guest conducting Lyric Opera Productions, Opera Theatre Company, Opera Ireland, and Northern Ireland Opera, most notably in their acclaimed partnership with the Irish Chamber Orchestra (Handel’s Radamisto). His latest collaboration with the ICO was in May 2025 where he conducted a production of Benjamin Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Blackwater Valley Opera Festival. Other highlights include the South American Premiere of Previn’s A Streetcar Named Desire at Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires. David assumed artistic leadership of the Festival of Voice in collaboration with the National Concert Hall and National Symphony Orchestra Ireland in 2025.

Soloist collaborations include performances with Martin Fröst, Lang Lang, Nicola Benedetti, Maxim Vengerov, James Galway, Barry Douglas, Willard White, Lesley Garrett, Danielle de Niese, Kim Criswell, Daniel Hope, Evelyn Glennie, and Carolin Widmann. He has also worked closely with pop artists including U2, Andrea Bocelli, Father John Misty, The Chieftains, Dreamers’ Circus, Sinéad O’Connor, and with international stars of the silver screen including Brendan Gleeson, Fiona Shaw, and Kenneth Branagh.

Through collaborations with contemporary ensembles, David has worked with Vox 21, Red Note Ensemble, and Crash Ensemble. Performances have included the Irish premiere of Steve Reich’s Music for Eighteen Musicians, world premieres of Nico Muhly’s arrangements of traditional Irish songs. Other composers he has worked with include Arvo Pärt, André Previn, Bill Whelan, and Gavin Bryars.

David has recorded for Silva Screen Records, Lyric FM, Tara Records, V2 Records, and Compass Records labels. Other recordings include Victor Herbert’s operetta Eileen and Rogers & Hart’s Dearest Enemy for New World Records, conducting the Orchestra of Ireland. In Ireland, David is a well-known figure on public TV and radio, having presented multiple award-winning programmes, extending the reach of classical music in mainstream media.

He has recently been awarded an honorary doctorate from The Open University for services to music and the community in Ireland.

Photo credit: Annika Fußwinkel