The English-born choral conductor, organist, accompanist, teacher and composer, David Burchell, studied at Royal Grammar School, Newcastle upon Tyne (1974-1984). He obtained his Master of Arts degree in Music from Oxford University: New College, Oxford (1985-1988) and there enjoyed a lengthy association with the renowned Choir of New College, Oxford, first as Organ Scholar and later as Assistant Organist. This included a term in charge of the choir, television and radio broadcasts, and participation in the recording of many CD's as organ accompanist and soloist. He has also worked as a university lecturer and was director of the Newcastle University Orchestra. From 1999 to early 2011 he was organist and Choir Director at St Paul's Cathedral, Dunedin.
David Burchell has been Musical Director of the City Choir Dunedin since February 2000. As Musical Director of the City Choir Dunedin he directs performances of major works for choir with a variety of accompanimental groups; recent performances have included Benjamin Britten’s St Nicolas, Zimbe! by Alexander L’Estrange, Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem, J.S. Bach’s St John Passion (BWV 245) and St Matthew Passion (BWV 244) and the Christmas Oratorio (BWV 248); George Frideric Handel's Messiah, Edward Elgar's Dream of Gerontius, and David Hamilton's Missa Pacifica.
David Burchell is Organist at St Joseph's Cathedral and acting Director of Music at All Saints' Church. He is the Dunedin City Organist, the University of Otago's Graduation Organist and organ tutor in the Department of Music. He is also a regular conductor of the Dunedin Youth Orchestra, and in May 2011 directed a concert with St Kilda Brass. He has appeared as organ soloist with the Southern Sinfonia, Dunedin in Francis Poulenc’s Organ Concerto, the Camille Saint-Saëns's Organ Symphony, and in the première of Anthony Ritchie's Organ Overture. He has also appeared with Southern Sinfonia, Dunedin, directing from the harpsichord, in J.S. Bach's fifth Brandenburg Concerto. He currently lives in Dunedin, New Zealand. |