David Taylor
Arts Entrepreneur, Consultant, Speaker, Author
One of the leading entrepreneurs and thought leaders in the world of classical music, David Taylor has built his career on a dynamic and energetic approach to driving innovation in the arts. This energy saw him named on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe list and described as an “arts innovator” by the BBC.
Passionate about enabling the next generation of innovators, David is a Lecturer in Artist Development at the Royal Academy of Music. He continues to drive the global conversation on the industry's future as the host of the Classical:NEXT podcast and author of The Future of Classical Music book series.
Driven by a desire to help those in the arts flourish in the modern world, David is a highly sought-after consultant and coach. His portfolio includes work with high-profile clients such as the New World Symphony (USA), The Philharmonia, St Louis Symphony Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, and the Leeds International Piano Competition.
David’s reputation as a speaker and commentator sees him regularly invited to industry events worldwide, including Classical:NEXT, the Association of California Symphony Orchestras, the League of American Orchestras, the Association of British Orchestras, and the World Federation of International Music Competitions. In 2022, he was selected for the LinkedIn Creator Accelerator Programme UK, identifying him as a leading voice in the arts.
His experience comes from creating the Yorkshire Young Sinfonia (YYS) in 2015. He grew the organisation to reach an audience of over 7.5 million people in just 4 years, a journey chronicled in the BBC Radio 4 documentary Birth of an Orchestra. Under David's leadership, YYS became the first youth orchestra in the world to be 100% digital, using iPads instead of sheet music.