ABOUT DAVID BRAID
Acclaimed in the Canadian Press as "one of Canada's true Renaissance men," David Braid is a distinguished composer, improviser, and pianist. He is a ten-time nominee and four-time recipient of Canada’s highest music honour, the Juno Award.
A Steinway Artist, Braid serves as Composer-in-Residence for the Sinfonia UK Collective. He is also a Guest Artist at the Danish National Music Conservatory and an Affiliate Artist of the University of Liverpool’s Interdisciplinary Centre for Composition and Technology.
Braid first emerged as an "Ace Jazz Pianist," according to The New York Observer, before dedicating himself to composing chamber music. His music is characterized by prioritizing narrative, vibrant harmony, rhythmic complexity, spontaneity, and the inclusion of diverse musical languages absorbed from over twenty years of international cross-cultural collaboration. He has performed extensively across the UK, Scandinavia, Europe, Russia, Central Asia, the Far East, Australia, Brazil, and Canada. His original music is widely praised, described as “enchanting” (The Age, Australia) and “hauntingly beautiful” (The Globe & Mail), with The New York Observer noting his "sophisticated and authentic" artistry.
Braid's first instrumental chamber music album, FLOW, released under the Steinway & Sons label in collaboration with the Epoque Quartet (Prague), was praised by the Los Angeles Examiner as “an exceptional work... created with patience, love, and an understanding of the human condition, form, and structure.” His first choral composition, “Corona Divinae Misericordiae,” was nominated for Classical Album of the Year in Canada.
Additionally, his first film score won two Canadian Screen Awards (formerly, Geminis) for “Best Original Score” and “Best Original Song.” Braid's foray into writing dramatic music includes arrangements and compositions for the Chet Baker-inspired biopic, Born to Be Blue, starring Ethan Hawke, which The Telegraph (UK) places as one of the top jazz films of all time. His jazz score received acclaim for its "contemporary patina without sacrificing period authenticity," as noted by The Times (UK). He also received a Screen Award nomination for his orchestral score for the 2022 film Delia’s Gone, featuring Stephan James and Marisa Tomei.
Throughout his career, he has distinguished himself as one of a few creative artists capable of engaging audiences in both classical and jazz communities, composing chamber music for notable ensembles that resonates with diverse audiences while transcending traditional genre boundaries. In recognition of his exceptional contributions to music, David Braid received the prestigious "Paul de Hueck and Norman Walford Career Achievement Award for Keyboard Artistry" from the Ontario Foundation for the Arts.
Beyond his performances, Braid actively supports emerging musicians by leading innovative workshops and masterclasses designed to empower students, reinforcing their musical fundamentals to encourage originality over trending innovation.
