David Cohen has established a reputation as one of the most charismatic and exciting young cellists of today. He has been hailed by critics as “Magnificent” (Gramophone), a musician who “demonstrates total commitment, combining vitality with expressive feeling in the most spontaneous manner” (The Strad), and “an individual, and an exceptionally gifted one,” (New York Stereo Review).
David made his solo debut with the Belgian National Orchestra at the age of nine. He studied at the Yehudi Menuhin School and then at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama where he studied under Oleg Kogan. He has won more than 25 prizes in International Cello Competitions including the Gold Medal of the GSMD in London, the Geneva International Cello Competition, J.S.Bach International Competition and many others.
His international career as a soloist soon flourished with invitations from the Saint Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the London Soloists Chamber Orchestra, l’Orchestre Philharmonique de Liège, l’OrchestreSymphonique de la VRT, the Beethoven Academy Orchestra, l’Orchestre National de Lille, the Zurich Chamber Orchestra, l’Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne, l’Orchestre Royal de Chambre de Wallonie, l’Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, l’Orchestre Symphonique de Grenoble, the Polish Philharmonic Orchestra, the Sinfonia Varsovia, the Philharmonia Orchestra, the Seoul Philharmonic and the N.H.K. Symphony Orchestra, as well as the BBC Concert Orchestra.
In his remarkable musical journey, David has worked as a soloist with some of the most distinguished conductors in the industry such as Lord Menuhin, Mstislav Rostropovich, Walter Weller, Sir Charles Mackerras, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Christoph von Dohnányi, Pedro Halffter, and Martyn Brabbins among others. His triumphant solo debut in Japan with the NHK Symphony Orchestra and Vladimir Ashkenazy performing Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations in June 2007, led him to be immediately re-invited for the 2009/10 season.
In March of 2001, David was appointed as the Principal Cello of the Philharmonia Orchestra, becoming the youngest Principal Cello in history. During the 2002/03 season, he was nominated as the ECHO "Rising Star" by the Royal Philharmonic Society of Belgium and the Concertgebouw.
David is the Artistic Director of the Melchoir Ensemble and the founder and Artistic Director of the chamber music festival, “Les Sons Intensifs” in Lessines, in Belgium. He is also a professor at the Conservatoire Royal de Musique de Mons in Belgium, a position he has held since 2000, and at Trinity Laban in London.
David plays on the “Ex-Pergamenschikow cello”, a magnificent Dominicus Montagnana circa 1735, thanks to the kindness and generosity of Mrs Pat Morton and the help of the Razumovsky Trust.