A versatile Italian-Swiss musician born in Zurich in 1997, David Burkhard began his musical journey on the piano at a young age under Raphaël Colin at the Neuchâtel Conservatoire. It was at this same institution, years later, that he discovered his passion for singing.

Driven by a commitment to a professional career, David moved to Geneva following his A-levels to study piano with Fabrizio Chiovetta at the Haute École de Musique and musicology at the University of Geneva. After earning a dual Bachelor’s degree, he completed a Master’s degree in musicology in 2021. His thesis explored the technical evolution of 19th-century pianistic virtuosity.

Parallel to his academic path, David earned two certificates in vocal studies with distinction from the Conservatoire de Musique de Neuchâtel and the Conservatoire Populaire de Musique, Danse et Théâtre de Genève, studying with Monique Varetz-Andréoni and Jean-Luc Drompt. He has since refined his technique with Rachel Bersier and through various international masterclasses.

David’s stage experience is rooted in a desire to bridge the gap between performer and audience. He began in operetta and opéra comique with Geneva-based companies À trois temps and Esperluette, notably performing the title role in Honegger’s Les Aventures du Roi Pausole and Lopez in Grétry’s L’Amant jaloux.

He made his professional debut at the Stadttheater Bern in the chorus of Rossini’s Guillaume Tell. A pivotal meeting with Yves Senn led him to join the Avant-Scène theatre company in Neuchâtel, where he honed his dramatic acting skills. Since 2024, David has been a regular member of the Chœurs de l’Opéra de Lausanne.

Thanks to his meeting with Yves Senn, David also met Christine Masserey, a coach and pianist, with whom he works on his mental preparation and with whom he now forms a duo that performs regularly in Swiss care homes, bringing high-quality classical music to senior citizens.

Recent highlights include Peter in a condensed version of E. Humperdinck’s Hänsel und Gretel with the International Singing Academy in Geneva, and Leporello in W. A. Mozart’s Don Giovanni with L’Avant-Scène.

Last season, he performed regularly with vocal ensembles and as a soloist, notably in C. Saint-Saëns’ Christmas Oratorio with the Chœur La Villanelle d’Évian-les-Bains, conducted by Margot Boitard, and portrayed the role of Jesus in Bach’s St John Passion with the Chœur de Colombier, conducted by Yves Senn.

In the current season, David returns to the Opéra de Lausanne for productions of J. Massenet’s Don Quichotte and G. Verdi’s Rigoletto. He also portrays Don Alvaro in Rossini’s Il viaggio a Reims with L’Avant-Scène, conducted by John Richter and appears in concert with various ensembles, including Capella Lemanica.