Biography
A truly versatile artist, pianist David Berry has established a multi-faceted career as a concert performer, arranger, educator, and speaker. Described as “passionate” (Textura) and “touchingly introspective” (Gramophone), Berry’s performances as a concert pianist have been featured in prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall, Merkin Hall, and in live broadcasts of WQXR radio (New York). Berry was the grand prize winner of the Bradshaw and Buono International Piano Competition and a prize winner of the Thousand Islands International Piano Competition. He has been featured as a soloist, performing works of Chopin for the Kosciuszko Foundation, and music of Cuban composer and pianist Joaquin Nin for the Cervantes Institute. Berry’s performances as a concerto soloist have crossed a wide span of repertoire ranging from Brahms’ Piano Concerto no.1 (The Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival Orchestra) to Yamekraw: An Ebony Rhapsody by Harlem Stride pianist James P. Johnson (The Harlem Chamber Players). As a performer of new music Berry has premiered works by noted composers James Lee III and Adolphus Hailstork, as well as collaborated with composer Jennifer Higdon. Berry was a featured soloist in the Juilliard School’s Focus Festival, All About Elliott, celebrating the 100th birthday of Elliott Carter. Berry is also featured in the Harlem Chamber Players debut album, Adolphus Hailstork - Chamber Works (Navona, 2024).
An avid chamber musician, Berry has toured as a resident member of the Ritz Chamber Players, performing with the group in series such as the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society Concerts at the Kimmel Center, and the Meany Center for the Performing Arts Concert Series at the University of Washington. Berry has also toured as a member of the innovative chamber music-theater group, the Core Ensemble, presenting plays based on the lives of African-American and Latin historical figures at universities across the United States.
A sought after and talented arranger, Berry’s virtuoso concert piano arrangements of spirituals such as Joshua Fought the Battle of Jericho, have been performed across the United States, including in the Untold Stories Piano Competition at Brigham Young University and by the Massachusetts-based Tiny Glass Tavern Ensemble. Berry’s performance of the arrangement will be released on the Tiny Glass Tavern’s debut album Let Us Sing, Let Us Dance on the Navona Records label and distributed by Naxos in Spring 2025. In addition to his concert arrangements, Berry recently published a book of solo piano hymn arrangements in 2024 with the Lorenz Corporation. A frequent adjudicator, masterclass clinician, and presenter whose presentations often focus on utilizing multi-style improvisation and creating original piano arrangements, his work in these areas has been featured at institutions and organizations such as the University of Georgia, the University of Memphis, Wheaton College Conservatory of Music, and the Virginia, Utah, and Dallas Music Teacher Associations.
Berry is Associate Professor of Music and Chair of the Music Department at Eastern Mennonite University, where he also serves as Interim Associate Dean for the School of Theology, Humanities, and the Performing Arts. Berry also serves as the Artistic Director of the Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival, and has served on the artistic programs committee of the Gateways Music Festival.
Berry received his Bachelor of Music with High Distinction from the Eastman School of Music, and Masters and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees in piano performance from the Juilliard School.