Meet David
After studying with teachers such as Glen Velez, Behnam Samani, Ramesh Shotham and Ustad Fayaz Khan he created his personal style, incorporating techniques and rhythms from the handdrumming traditions of Iran, India, Egypt, Europe, Turkey and Africa.
Among others he worked with Omar Faruk Tekbilek, Dead Can Dance, Levent Yildirim, the medieval music ensemble Cordatum, Ahmad Al-Khatib, Taner Akyol, the Pera Ensemble, Riadh Feri, the Sicily Philarmonic Orchestra, Raquy and the Cavemen, Cristina Braga, Bassam Sabam, Mishra and Susan and Martin Weinert. David has performed and tought masterclasses in Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, Greece, Italy, Palestine, Tunisia, Brazil, Chile, France, Poland, Estonia, Ireland and the USA.
As advisor, teacher and performer, David is Part of the North American Frame Drum Association and Tamburi Mundi e.V., two organisations that organize frame drum festivals all over the world.
When David is not touring or teaching Masterclasses, he works on his constantly growing series of instructional DVDs on hand- and fingerdrumming.
In 2011 David discovered the Hang and the instrument family of handpans. They broaden his instrument range and add melodic and harmonic options to his repertoire. In 2012 he released his first Solo CD “The Path of the Metal Turtle” with music for Hang and Handpans.
In 2012, David was invited to join Dead Can Dance on a world tour as soloist and band member.
Some of his teachers where Ustad Fayaz khan and Ted de Jong (indian tabla), Glen Velez (frame drums), Siavach Yazdanifar (tonbak, daf), Ramesh Shotham (south indian percussion), Nils Fischer (latin percussion), Martin Drewer (brasilian percussion) and Wouter Swets (balkan rhythms).
To learn more about David, please see Facebook / Youtube / Website
“Ayasa handpans are among the most well-regarded instruments in the handpan world. Ralf not only builds these beauties, he is also open for experiments and innovation. I’m grateful that he made for me a beautiful custom double-sided instrument with unusual scales, that inspires me to create new music and go tripping into abstract worlds of metal sounds! “