Violinist & Award-Winning Scottish Fiddler

Feel free to ask any and all questions along the way. I want to help make the process easy and pleasant, and I value being communicative with all my clients.

PRIOR TO BOOKING:
Prior to booking, I determine a standardized quote based on the type of event, how much new custom arrangement I will need to be available to do ahead of time, and how far I will need to travel.

AFTER BOOKING:
Much of the work I provide is actually before your event day, which is necessary to make sure everything is coordinated well to sound exceptional. I handle both the composer/soundtracking role and the solo performer role, all in close cooperation with you and your planners. We can talk over the phone, via text or email, or even video call if needed to cover all the bases. See the sections below about music selection and requests.

DAY OF THE EVENT:
I arrive an hour early to setup my equipment, ease the burdens of the event coordinators, and allow for my fine violin to acclimate to the environment. After that, I'm focused on providing the right sound with the right timing so that it's an unforgettable experience for everyone in attendance. Unlike many violinists, I also accept live requests from your group, and I get a kick out of surprising people when they request songs they thought might be too obscure!

MUSIC SELECTION:
I offer thoughtful repertoire depending on the purpose of your event, and you can discuss music selection with me as much as you like. People have told me my guidance and straightforward process for selecting music has been very helpful!

REQUESTS:
I have learned thousands of tunes and can easily accommodate most any request in any genre, even if it's someone humming a tune I've never heard before. I take all requests seriously and provide all custom arrangements for solo violin so that the music sounds exactly as it should.

DRESS:
My default is a grey suit, and I'm happy to specially select my necktie and shirt color based on preferred colors. Alternatively, I can wear a traditional kilt with a Prince Charlie jacket, or I can dress even more casually depending on the dress code for your event.

EQUIPMENT, SETUP:
I have all equipment required for me to play solo, amplified or fully acoustic, stationary or strolling, or in a group. I use a special violin pickup system for which I can coordinate operation with your sound engineer in advance if necessary. Also, even in rougher weather, the special (read: expensive) strings and pegs I use allow me to maintain tuning better than most violinists can offer, and I always keep backup equipment with me. I don't need a power outlet as my equipment is self-powering.

My equipment is enough to run all the audio for a small wedding if you don't have a DJ, including microphones for officiant and readers, self-powering large speaker with a basic mixer, etc.

Hi, I'm David, a Violinist & Scottish Fiddler.

I've been playing the violin since 2000, and I make events unforgettable by playing all custom solo violin arrangements from requests in any genre: classical, Celtic, country, Christian, jazz, pop, movie/game soundtracks, favorites on the radio, etc.!

I provide a sweet soundtrack to weddings, an exciting and uplifting feel to private events, and a dignified honor to memorial services.

My experience composing over 300 pieces of original music informs my custom arrangements, and my experience performing thousands of songs across dozens of genres at hundreds of venues across over 20 years informs my interpretation so that I can make sure your event sounds precisely as you think it should with no compromises!

Taking part in people's meaningful moments as a musician helps give more meaning to my life. I love playing music for people and being able to serve to help accentuate life with dignity, joy, and honor.

While I began playing the violin in 2000, I dove into traditional Scottish music beginning in 2006 when I started studying with Dr. John Turner at the Jink & Diddle School of Scottish Fiddling.

My music has a unique ability to make people dance and make people cry. I am known to play it in a distinctly stylistic way based upon the tradition from the Golden Age of Scottish fiddling, the 18th century. My teaching/pupil lineage goes directly back to Niel Gow himself, the most iconic Scottish fiddler-composer in history, who lived from 1727 to 1807. Like Niel Gow, I focus on playing the violin with emotional expression above all else while challenging assumptions in tune interpretation yet aggressively maintaining an ingrained traditional sense in my interpretation.

In 2010, I won the largest material prize in the history of this tradition, the Niel Gow Fiddle Award, the only time it was ever given, at the U.S. National Scottish Fiddling Championship, and have in other years won numerous other National awards and Regional awards.

I have all equipment required for me to play solo, amplified or fully acoustic, stationary or strolling, or in a group. I use a special violin pickup system for which I can coordinate operation with your sound engineer in advance if necessary. Also, even in rougher weather, the special (read: expensive) strings and pegs I use allow me to maintain tuning better than most violinists can offer, and I always keep backup equipment with me. I don't need a power outlet as my equipment is self-powering.

My equipment is enough to run all the audio for a small wedding if you don't have a DJ, including microphones for officiant and readers, self-powering large speaker with a basic mixer, etc.