Biography

David John Lang is an Australian composer living in Adelaide. He writes music for orchestras, choirs, singers and instrumentalists, always seeking to create art that is inventive, thoughtful and heartfelt. David’s music often reflects his love of nature, his Christian faith, his whimsical sense of humour, and an instinct for drama.

David’s music has been performed around Australia, in the USA, Canada and Germany. Commissioners of David’s music have included the Adelaide and Sydney Symphony Orchestras, Adelaide Youth Orchestras, Benaud Trio, Recitals Australia, and the Adelaide Chamber Singers. David’s most recent projects include a ‘landscape’ for cello and piano depicting Gomersal in the Barossa Valley, and a piano album of musical ‘portraits’. He is currently working on a large bi-cultural collaborative project that celebrates the Kaurna Seasons of the Adelaide area.

photo: Mary-Ellen Parkinson

photo: Mary-Ellen Parkinson

David was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy in Music Composition in 2019 from Adelaide’s Elder Conservatorium of Music. His topic was the storytelling potential of variation form in instrumental music, and his mentors included Graeme Koehne, Anne Cawrse, David Harris, John Polglase, and Charles Bodman Rae. In 2016, David spent several weeks in Alaska on a Composing in the Wilderness course, and in 2012 he attended the Atlantic Music Festival in Maine.

David is also active as a writer and performer. He has written concert program notes for many performers and ensembles, including the Australian String Quartet and the Australian Chamber Orchestra. He has conducted the Adelaide Wind Orchestra and Unley Concert Band in many concerts, sometimes including his own compositions. Since 2019 he has performed on keyboard, trumpet, and vocals with the aptly-named Music is Fun Band, sharing the joy of music with primary school children all over South Australia.

When David remembers there is more to life than music, he enjoys reading, bushwalking, and eating good chocolate.

photo: Mary-Ellen Parkinson