Music Performance

Solo fiddle at Bundanoon

on concertina at Goulburn Conservatorium

Solo vocal/guitar

David completed his bush music apprenticeship at the Sydney based Bush Music Club. Strongly influenced in the song, dance and poetry traditions by the likes of Jamie Carlin, Barry Collerson, John Dengate, Ralph Pride, and Bob Bolton, David worked with a number of bush bands including The Rouseabouts, The Reedy River Bushmen and Pinchgut, playing fiddle, guitar, banjo-mandolin and banjo. He established and led Southern Cross Bush Band for many years until the tree change to the Southern Highlands where he started his family band Paddys River Band

On the first Friday of the month David leads a Bush Music Session at the Goulburn Club. Each month has a theme for songs and poems to challenge players, and collected tunes from south-eastern NSW are featured. He also has a Folk Session at the Bundanoon Club on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday evenings. 

Since 1983 he has led the Heritage Ensemble as Musical Director and Conductor. The Ensemble is an annual confluence of the best bush musos in NSW. Together under the musical direction of David they provide the quality bush orchestra sound for the Heritage Ball put on annually by the Bush Music Club. In April 2015 the Ensemble also played for the main ball at the National Folk Festival in Canberra. 

A lineup of musicians from Sydney, Canberra, the Southern Highlands and beyond has played as the Yarralumla Woolshed Hoppers for the Monaro Folk Society's New Year's Eve Bush dance at the Yarralumla Woolshed. 

Recent involvement with Bush Traditions Inc has seen David programming the Bundanoon DanceFest and supporting the annual Bush Trad Gathering . In February 2023 he coordinated the Concertina Convergence held at The Goulburn Club as a part of World Concertina Day.

At the National Folk Festival for over 10 years David has arranged bush tunes for the National Festival Bush Orchestra. 

Pinchgut circa 1978

Southern Cross recording in ABC Studio c 1983

Paddys River Band featuring the whole family c 1997

Concertina Convergence 2023