Biography

David Donnelly is an American filmmaker, writer and artist. Donnelly graduated with honors from the prestigious International Baccalaureate program at the age of seventeen. Early ambitions of becoming a doctor inspired Donnelly to leave northern Kentucky and continue his education at Washington University in St. Louis, where he developed a passion for film. The very day after graduating college Donnelly moved to Los Angeles to pursue his dream.

In his mid-twenties Donnelly began directing commercials and educational films, selling his first short film series, Think About It, in 2008. In 2010, the Miami based Consequences Foundation commissioned Donnelly to write and direct a short film that tackles South Florida's juvenile crime epidemic. The film, which features an inspirational message from the rapper Ludacris and convicted felons, is now screened to Miami area juveniles after their arrest, in hopes of inspiring them to stay out of jail.

In late 2015, Donnelly released his first feature-length documentary Maestro. The crew followed several Grammy award-winning musicians across the globe. Four years in the making, many consider it to be the most comprehensive portrait of contemporary classical music ever captured on film. Donnelly made the documentary with the intention of exposing a broader audience to the classical genre. Maestro has been translated into ten languages and is airing on international networks spanning five continents. Most importantly it is utilized as a much-needed resource for music educators. Donnelly is also the author of the viral Huffington Post essay "Why Failing Orchestras are the Problem of Every American."

Donnelly has collaborated with some of the world's most accomplished musicians. He directed the first music video ("High Done No Why To") for the Grammy and Pulitzer Prize winning ensemble Roomful of Teeth. His music video "Vitali Variations," featuring renowned violinist Tatiana Berman, was aired in twenty-six countries. Donnelly is the creator of the groundbreaking concert series Not So Classical, which revolutionizes the genre through a hybrid film/concert experience and has starred Grammy nominated saxophonist Amy Dickson and A-list actor Ken Jeong.

As well as writing and directing, the thirty-six year-old Renaissance man spends time pursuing his passions of painting and public speaking, always focusing on projects with social and cultural significance. His conceptual art has been regularly featured at the Constella Festival of Music and Fine Art and has been acquired by collectors across the world. As a guest speaker, Donnelly visits some of America's finest institutions including the Curtis Institute of Music and Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music.

Donnelly is the executive producer of the documentary Gabe. He is the director of Forte, Take a Breath, and Nordic Pulse, all feature-length documentaries focusing on the world of classical music and scheduled for international release throughout 2018 and 2019. In 2017 alone, Donnelly will film in over 15 countries. His work has been screened at some of America's most cherished cultural institutions including the Whitney Museum and Curtis Institute of Music. He is the founder of Culture Monster, a company dedicated to making arts organizations more competitive in the free market economy.
- IMDb mini biography by: Syron Townsend