David Mitchell
Biography
David Mitchell has been a distinguished member of the Kent State music faculty since 2001. A founding member of the acclaimed Burning River Brass, he has performed with the ensemble across the U.S. and internationally, from Alaska and Puerto Rico to Taiwan. His work with the group is featured on six albums, and he has been heard on NPR’s Performance Today in live broadcasts from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
In addition to his role with the Kent Brass Quintet, Mitchell performs with the Blue Water Chamber Orchestra and has held positions with the Cleveland Opera Orchestra, The Cleveland Ballet Orchestra, the Akron and Canton Symphonies, and Red {an orchestra}. He has also played in numerous pit orchestras for Broadway productions at Playhouse Square, including Disney’s The Lion King, and has appeared with ensembles such as The Cleveland Orchestra, the Cleveland Pops Orchestra, the Cleveland Chamber Symphony, and the Blossom Festival Band.
Beyond Ohio, Mitchell’s orchestral career includes performances with the Syracuse Symphony, Alabama Symphony, Charleston Symphony, Naples Philharmonic, Hartford Symphony, Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Key West Symphony, and Orchestra 2001 in Philadelphia. He also toured with the National Touring Company of The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber in 1991 and 1995, including a two-week engagement at Radio City Music Hall. Notably, he has performed for two sitting U.S. presidents.
Internationally, Mitchell has toured Europe with the Harlem Opera Ensemble and spent six summers in Italy performing at the prestigious Spoleto Festival, where he gave personal brass quintet performances for its founder, composer Gian Carlo Menotti. His global experience also includes chamber music performances at City Hall in Hong Kong, a master class at the Hong Kong Conservatory, and serving as principal trombone at Philippe Entremont’s Santo Domingo Festival in the Caribbean.
Beyond the classical stage, Mitchell has shared the spotlight with legendary artists such as Johnny Mathis, Barry Manilow, Donny Osmond, Wayne Newton, Weird Al Yankovic, and even The Who, further showcasing his remarkable versatility as a musician.