Cellist
WELCOME
TO THE WEBSITE OF MÉTIS-CANADIAN CELLIST, DAVID LIAM ROBERTS
BIOGRAPHY
A 2022-23 Debut Atlantic Touring Artist, David Liam Roberts is recognized as one of the leading early-career musicians in Canada. Named one of Canada’s “30 Hot Classical Musicians under 30” by the CBC in 2019, Roberts has been described as a “deeply thoughtful and soft-spoken artist” (Winnipeg Free Press). Roberts was the 2021 winner of the prestigious Canada Council for the Arts' Michael Measures 1st Prize, as well as the 2021-22 recipient of the Hnatyshyn Foundation's Developing Artist Grant for Canadian instrumentalists. Most recently, he was awarded 1st Prize of the 2022 biennial WMC McLellan Competition, following a performance of the Schumann Cello Concerto with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra conducted by Meastro Daniel Raiskin.
Upcoming engagements include the Prince Edward County Chamber Music Festival as the festival's 2023 Young Artist in Residence. Recent highlights include a 20-day tour of the Maritimes with pianist LaLa Lee, a self-presented concert in Toronto that was attended by over 140 people, recitals presented by Cecilia Concerts in Halifax, Virtuosi Concerts in Winnipeg, and the Women’s Musical Club of Winnipeg, as well as appearances at Winnipeg’s Rosamunde Festival and the Lunenberg Academy of Music Performance, Nova Scotia.
Originally from Winnipeg, David Liam is pursuing an Artist Diploma as a student of Hans Jørgen Jensen and Andrés Díaz at Toronto's Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music, where he holds the prestigious Temerty Fellowship. David Liam has participated in masterclasses in Poland, Slovenia and Italy, where he has worked with many of the world's finest musicians and pedagogues, including Steven Isserlis, Jens-Peter Maintz, Claudio Bohórquez, Adrian Brendel, Laurence Lesser, and John Kadz. Some of his most formative mentors have been Yuri Hooker, Bryan Epperson and Joseph Johnson.
As a regular extra with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Roberts has worked under conductors such as Gustavo Gimeno, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Daniel Raiskin, and Sir Andrew Davis, and has performed as principal cellist with the Royal Conservatory Orchestra and the National Youth Orchestra of Canada.
For many years, Roberts was a leader of the “Back to BACH” Project, a global non-profit organization to inspire and encourage children to learn musical instruments and instil in them a love of music. Passionate about educational outreach, he continues to give online presentations to children around the world as a Back to BACH Soloist.
Roberts plays a cello that was made for him in 2017 by Canadian luthier, Garth Lee, in the style and dimensions of the Francesco Rugeri, c. 1650. His bow is crafted by Canadian maker, Eric Gagné.
(Jan 2023)
CONCERTS
01.07.2023: "Art of Trio" Recital with Rilian Trio, presented by the Concerts@100 Series in Toronto. Beethoven Op. 1 No. 1 and Ravel Trios.
01.14.2023: "Art of Trio" Recital with Rilian Trio at Christ Church Cathedral in Montréal, presented by Oasis Musicale series. Beethoven Op. 1 No. 1 and Ravel Trios.
01.28.2023: Solo cellist in "Foreverdark" concertino for amplified cello & orchestra by Bekah Simms at 21C Music Festival. Conducted by Brian Current. Temerty Theatre, Royal Conservatory of Music.
02.12.2023: Schumann Concerto with New Brunswick Youth Orchestra at Imperial Theatre, Saint John, NB.
03.05.2023: Solo Recital: "Theatre". Works by Debussy, Poulenc & Stravinsky, and a special performance of Schumann Cello Concerto with chamber orchestra conducted by Pedro Larraín Lyon. Mazzoleni Hall, Royal Conservatory of Music, 273 Bloor St W
Liam&LaLa Debut Atlantic Tour (https://www.debutatlantic.ca/artist/liamlala):
03.10.2023: Tatamagouche, NS
03.11.2023: Lunenberg, NS
03.12.2023: Annapolis Royal, NS
03.16.2023: Moncton, NB
03.18.2023: Yarmouth, NS
03.19.2023: Wolfville, NS
03.22.2023: Fredericton, NB
03.24.2023: Charlettetown, PEI
03.25.2023: Antigonish, NS
03.27.2023: Happy Valley-Goose Bay, NL
04.21.2023: Debussy Sonata with Sophia Rahman in Cornwall, UK, as part of the Prussia Cove International Musicians Seminar concert series
05.07.2023: 8pm Recital with LaLa Lee in Mazzoleni Hall, Royal Conservatory of Music. Debussy Cello Sonata, Beethoven Op. 11 Trio with Eric Abramovitz, clarinet, and other works.
05.11.2023: 8pm Solo Recital in Mazzoleni Hall, Royal Conservatory of Music. Program includes Stravinsky Suite Italienne, Debussy Sonata, Cusson La Pieta (After Monkman), Rossini Largo al Factotum, Schumann D minor Trio with Rilian Trio.
05.20.2023: Schubert B-flat Piano Trio with Rilian Trio at the Lunenberg Academy of Music Performance. Masterclass residency with Steven Isserlis.
05.21.2023: Recital with Rilian Trio at the Lunenberg Academy of Music Performance. Program: Beethoven Trio Op. 1 No. 1, Schumann Trio No. 1, Ravel Trio.
08.12.2023: Recital with Rilian Trio, Mount Pleasant Cemetery Summer Concert Series, Toronto.
09.10.2023: Concert as Young Artist in Residence at Prince Edward County Chamber Music Festival, Picton, ON. 3:00pm. https://pecmusicfestival.com/sep10_cello/
09.17.2023: Schoenberg Transfigured Night with Viano Quartet and violinist Scott St. John at Prince Edward County Chamber Music Festival, Picton, ON. 3:00. https://pecmusicfestival.com/sep17_finale/
09.26-30.2023: Trondheim International Chamber Competition with Rilian Trio
11.29.2023: Walter Braunfels Quintet with the ARC Ensemble (Artists of the Royal Conservatory) in Toronto.
04.2024: Recital with Zyra Trio presented by Women's Musical Club of Winnipeg. Date TBA.
05.12.2024: Recital with Rilian Trio presented by the Gallery Players of Niagara. St. Catherines, ON, 3:00pm.