David van Roijen studied Choral Conducting under Louis Buskens at the Prince Claus Conservatoire in Groningen. After graduating in 2008, he followed masterclasses with Fred Sjöberg, Joop Schets, Jan Stulen, Geert-Jan van Beijeren and Arnaud Oosterbaan, among others. He was also coached by Hoite Pruiksma.
David discovered his love for choral music around fifteen years ago, as a singer with the Gica student choir. He has now been their conductor for over ten years, performing several programmes with them on a variety of different themes, and in 2014 he and the choir took part in the International Choir Festival in Cork, Ireland. Before being appointed conductor of Gica, David sang solo with the choir on several occasions: the baritone solo in Fauré’s Requiem (2006) and in Bononcini’s Stabat Mater (2010).
David is the founder and conductor of the vocal ensemble A Capelli, which won the 53rd Zang- en Muziekfestival (Festival of Singing and Music) in Schiermonnikoog in 2010. In 2011, the choir won a Golden Diploma at the International Choir festival in Wernigerode, Germany. The choir likes to work with thematic programs where music from various style periods come together, such as music from the city of Leipzig, love poetry or man’s search for meaning. For their tenth anniversary, the choir performed Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle in 2019 and Fauré’s Requiem in 2021.
Even before graduating, David started working with the Vocal Ensemble Leewarden. In the meantime, the choir has performed various projects under his direction, including Ein deutsches Requiem by Brahms, the Coronation Anthems by Handel, and parts from the Hohe Messe by J.S. Bach. Together with Vocal Ensemble A Capelli, the choir wants to perform Duruflé’s Requiem in 2023 in a version for small orchestra, choir and soli.
Since September 2022, David is also the conductor of symphony orchestra Scaramouche. He also organizes various singing projects in the Northern Netherlands. Previously, David was conductor of the Northern Bach Consort for six years.