David A. Fanning
pianist | conductor | all-around good guy
about
In a career spanning 30+ years, multi-faceted musician David A. Fanning has performed for audiences in cities across the country and abroad. As a pianist, he has appeared with some of the biggest names in music across a variety of musical styles, including jazz (The Dorsey Orchestra, Duke Madison), R&B (American Idol-winner Candice Glover), country (Roy Clark), Broadway (Faith Prince), and many others. He has also performed as a soloist and with his own bands at a wide variety of venues, including the White House and the reopening of the Washington Monument in 2014. In addition to piano, he has performed as a drummer (GhanaBeat [African], The Under [heavy metal!]), classical percussionist (Lynchburg Symphony, Lexington Philharmonic), and bass/washboard (Zydeco Bon).
pianist
conductor
Hailed by The Washington Post as a conductor "with a superlative understanding of the human voice and, especially, orchestra," Dr. Fanning serves as the music director and conductor of the National String Symphonia. He has conducted symphony and chamber orchestra performances in the United States, Europe, and South America, and has directed opera and musical theatre productions.
Reviews of David’s work are overwhelmingly positive. The Washington Post called his "sensibility of tempos and his communication with instrumentalists and singers alike foundational for success." He also receives high praise from the instrumentalists and vocalists with whom he works; one musician writes: “[Maestro Fanning] is an exceptional combination of an excellent musician, an efficient rehearsal director, and a respectful leader who values the musicians he directs… [he] is a rarity among conductors.”