David Edmonds, born in Shoreham-by-Sea, UK into a non-musical family, began playing the cello at the age of nine. At eleven, he won a place at Chetham’s School of Music, where he studied with David Smith. He later continued his studies with Hannah Roberts at the Royal Northern College of Music and with Gregor Horsch at the Robert Schumann Hochschule. Since completing his training, he has established a diverse career as a chamber musician, orchestral player, soloist, and teacher, earning praise for his “gloriously syrupy” playing from The Strad magazine.

Mostly recognised for his work as a chamber musician, for ten years, he was a member of the Rhodes Piano Trio, with whom he won second prize at the Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition 2011. The trio also received all major chamber music prizes at the Royal Northern College of Music, alongside awards from the Tunnell Trust and the Royal Overseas League Competition. As artists represented by Young Classical Artists Trust, they performed at leading venues including Wigmore Hall, Barbican, Purcell Room, and the Melbourne Recital Centre, and appeared at major festivals such as Aldeburgh Festival, Schwetzingen Festival, Aix-en-Provence Festival, and Verbier Festival. They performed live broadcasts internationally on BBC Radio 3, SWR2, and ABC Classic FM Australia, and their recording of Schumann Piano Trios on Champs Hill Records was released to critical acclaim.

Alongside his chamber work, David has appeared as a soloist at venues such as the Concertgebouw Kleine Zaal, and has performed concertos including Dvořák’s Cello Concerto on tour in China and Brahms Double Concerto at the Ulster Hall. He has also been invited regularly to attend IMS Prussia Cove Open Chamber Music and has appeared at chamber music festivals in Ireland such as Chamber Music on Valentia and Spotlight Chamber Music Concerts in Cork. In addition, he has given chamber music masterclasses at the University of Oxford, the Royal Northern College of Music, and the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music and the Royal Irish Academy of Music.

Between 2009 and 2014, David played an active role in the development of the National Youth Orchestra of Iraq, working closely with its musicians through coaching projects in Iraq and on European tours. During this time, he also appeared with the orchestra as a soloist, performing Saint-Saëns’ Second Cello Concerto at the Aix-en-Provence Festival.

Following an academy position with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, he has performed with leading UK orchestras, both as a section player and principal. He joined the Ulster Orchestra cello section in May 2015, and since 2021 has served as principal cello with the Irish National Opera.