David Griffiths has carved out a reputation not only for his superb performances as a clarinet soloist but as a consummate musician equally accomplished as a chamber musician, recitalist and leading educator.  He is a member of two prestigious Australian chamber music ensembles; the Australia Ensemble@UNSW and Ensemble Liaison. In addition, David also holds the position of Associate Director and Professor of Music at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, the University of Melbourne.

In concerto, recent and future concerto highlights for David include performances with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Victoria, Shanghai Radio Orchestra, Macau Orchestra and the Real Filharmonía de Galicia.  

Chamber music forms a vital part of David’s career and as a member of Ensemble Liaison, he curates and performs an annual three-concert series, which is currently in its 21st season. Recognised for fostering long-term relationships with leading chamber ensembles, David enjoys collaborating with the American, New Zealand, Goldner, Tinalley, Arcacia, Flinders and Australian String Quartets, the New York Wind Soloists, and the Southern Cross Soloists. Recent highlights of these include a performance of Brahms’ Clarinet Quintet with the American String Quartet at the Portillo Festival in Chile, John Adams’ Gnarly Buttons Clarinet Concerto with the Australia Ensemble@UNSW, the Weiland Concerto with the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, a collaboration with accordion virtuoso James Crabb, Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet and Concerto at the 3MBS Mozart Marathon and the complete chamber works of Brahms in one day at UKARIA in collaboration with Timothy Young, Svetlana Bogosavljevic and the Australian String Quartet.

David has also performed with many leading artists including Nemanja Radulović, Ray Chen, Anthony Marwood, Henning Kraggerud and Emma Matthews, and has appeared at the Australian Festival of Chamber Music in Townsville, Port Fairy Festival, Lucerne Festival, Switzerland and the Pacific Music Festival in Sapporo, Japan. 

As an orchestral musician, David has held positions as Associate Principal Clarinet with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Principal Clarinet of the Macau Orchestra and Principal Clarinet of the Shanghai Radio Orchestra. He has appeared as Guest Principal clarinet with all of Australia’s major symphony and opera ballet orchestras along with the Australian Chamber Orchestra. He was also acting Principal of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra and the Malaysian Philharmonic. He has also performed with the New World Symphony, the Hong Kong Philharmonic, the China Philharmonic, the Pacific Music Festival Orchestra and the Paragon Ragtime Orchestra. 

A passionate teacher, David regularly presents performances and masterclasses across the world from Asia to Europe, United States (incl, Carnegie Hall), South America, the Middle East, New Zealand and Australia.

David’s recordings with Ensemble Liaison of Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time for the Melba Recordings label and Trios of Brahms, Beethoven and Bruch for the Tall Poppies label have won high praise from critics around the world.

David is a Backun Clarinet performing artist.

“David Griffiths’ clarinet playing was stunning in its range and finesse” Limelight