David Colwell

Interested in studying the violin at KU? Contact David Colwell to schedule a free trial lesson.

D.M.A., M.M.A., M.M., Yale School of Music; B.Mus. (with Distinction) University of Alberta

Violinist David Colwell enjoys a diverse career as a soloist, chamber musician, and teacher in the United States, Canada, Europe, South America, and the Middle East.  

In demand at national and international festivals and universities, Colwell has given recitals and masterclasses at the Milan Conservatory, Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, Eastman School of Music, Cornell University, McGill University, Swarthmore College, Ithaca College, California State University-Fullerton, the Deià International Music Festival (Spain) and the Palau March Summer Concert series in Palma de Mallorca (Spain) and at universities in Mexico City, Brasília, Natal and Rio de Janeiro.

Concerto engagements have included the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, Alberta Baroque Ensemble, Pennsylvania Sinfonia Orchestra and the Charlottesville Symphony Orchestra. An avid chamber musician, he has collaborated with such artists as Edgar Meyer, Timothy Eddy, Paul Katz, Barry Shiffman, Henk Guittart, Pekka Kuusisto, Scott St. John and Ralf Gothóni. Passionate about performing the music of our time, he has presented works by John Corigliano, Steven Stucky, Jennifer Higdon, Gabriela Lena Frank, Stephen Paulus, Christopher Theofanidis, Rob Deemer, Ted Coffey, Judith Shatin, Matthew Burtner, Nina C. Young and Hannah Lash.

As winner of the Johann Strauss Foundation Scholarship, he was afforded the opportunity to study at the Internationale Sommerakademie Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria with Igor Oistrakh, Jean-Jacques Kantorow and Igor Ozim. As well, he spent two summers studying at the prestigious Steans Institute for Young Artists at the Ravinia Festival in Chicago and made his main festival debut in 2005 at the Martin Theater. Colwell completed his undergraduate education in his native Canada at the University of Alberta where he studied with Martin Riseley. As a full scholarship student at Yale School of Music, he completed his graduate degrees under Peter Oundjian and Ani Kavafian. His other teachers have included William van der Sloot, Ranald Shean and Edmond Agopian.

A dedicated, holistic and innovative teacher, Colwell became a member of the performance faculty at the University of Virginia in 2006. From 2011 to 2018, he served on the faculty of State University of New York at Fredonia and attained the rank of Associate Professor in 2017. He joined the music faculty at the University of Kansas in 2018.