David Gordon-Shute

David trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Cambridge University and the Royal Academy of Music.

Through the fantastic experiences of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and the European Union Youth Orchestra came a passion for music: both playing and teaching. David has been a founding member of Onyx Brass since 1993 and he regularly freelances with major London orchestras including the LSO, RPO, LPO, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House and the BBC Orchestra.

He has enjoyed playing on various soundtracks including The Two Towers and Zero Dark Thirty. David has been the tuba teacher at Eton College since 2001, receiving a promotion in 2009 to Head of Brass which he has now relinquished. In addition, he has coached the tuba section of the NYO, the brass section of the Herts County Youth Orchestra and given masterclasses all over the world with Onyx Brass including the Juilliard School in New York.

Since 2009 David has been branching out as a conductor. He is currently musical director of the Ealing Wind Orchestra, having held the same post with Cardiff University Symphonic Winds, Hertfordshire County Wind Sinfonia and Eton College Symphonic Wind Band. He has also worked as a guest conductor with other groups including the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Wind Band and the Royal College of Music Wind Orchestra. He combines this work with his teaching, performing as principal tuba of Birmingham Royal Ballet and, more recently, as a humanist funeral celebrant.