David Elton

David Elton is Principal Trumpet of the West Australian Symphony Orchestra.  Prior to his appointment in 2005, David held the same position with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra for four years. He has performed as a guest principal with the Sydney Symphony, the Australian Chamber Orchestra, the Hong Kong Philharmonic, the Melbourne Symphony, the Singapore Symphony, and the Queensland Orchestra. David is also a founding member of the Australian Brass Quintet.

In recent years, David has been sought after as a soloist and recitalist. Solo performances include Haydn’s Trumpet Concerto with both the ASO and WASO, and the world premiere of James Ledger’s Trumpet Concerto in 2007 with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra.  He was a featured soloist at the 2010 International Trumpet Guild conference, as well as the Melbourne International Festival of Brass.  During 2011, David performed the Richard Mills Trumpet Concerto with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra conducted by Gilbert Varga, and the James Ledger Trumpet Concerto with the Australian National Academy of Music Orchestra under the baton of Sebastian Lang-Lessing. 

Raised in Sydney, David studied with Paul Goodchild. He holds a Bachelor of Music from the Queensland Conservatorium and a Master of Music from Northwestern University (USA), where he studied with Yoram Levy and Charles Geyer respectively. He was a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and performed in the orchestra's Carnegie Hall debut concert in New York.  In 1998 David was awarded first prize in the International Trumpet Guild's Solo Competition held in Kentucky USA.  In 2000 and 2001 he was a fellow of the Pacific Music Festival in Sapporo Japan.

David is committed to teaching and is Head of Brass at the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts. He is currently guest teaching at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory in Singapore, and has also held teaching positions at the Queensland Conservatorium and Adelaide University, and the University of Western Australia. He was the trumpet tutor at the Australian Youth Orchestra’s National Music Camp in both 2008 and 2009.

When not playing trumpet, David enjoys windsurfing and distance running.  David has only ever played one game of golf and plans to keep it that way.

“Principal trumpet David Elton soars magnificently” American Record Guide 2006

“Elton’s playing was superb, with a wonderful clarity of tone, flawless technique and a fine chamber musician’s sensitivity to his solo role and its relationship to the rest of the orchestra” The Advertiser 2004

“David Elton was in complete command of his part from the very first note.  Much of the solo part was quite busy, but the slow movement allowed an opportunity to appreciate Elton’s ability to make the trumpet an expressive medium as well” The Advertiser 2011