David Donnelly

David Donnelly
Born
Kentucky, U.S.
Occupations
  • Director
  • writer
  • producer
  • artist
Years active2003–present

David Donnelly is an American filmmaker, writer, and artist. He has written, directed, and produced music videos, video installation art, short films, and feature-length documentaries. His work has been featured in Forbes, Playbill, and NPR. He has directed 3 feature-length films and worked on 4 as head producer. He is also the co-founder of CultureNet, an interactive subscription service.

Early career

Donnelly graduated from the International Baccalaureate program and continued his education at Washington University in St. Louis.[1]

In his mid-twenties, Donnelly began directing commercials and educational films, selling his first short film series, Think About It, in 2008.[2] In 2010, the Miami-based Consequences Foundation commissioned Donnelly to write and direct a short film about South Florida's juvenile crime epidemic. The film, which features a message from the rapper Ludacris and convicted felons, was screened to Miami area juveniles after their arrest, in hopes of inspiring them to stay out of jail.[3][better source needed]

In late 2015, Donnelly released his first feature-length documentary Maestro. The crew followed several Grammy award-winning musicians across the globe. Maestro has been translated into ten languages and aired on international networks. It is utilized as a resource for music educators.[4][5][6] Donnelly is also the author of a Huffington Post essay "Why Failing Orchestras are the Problem of Every American".[7]

Donnelly directed the first music video "High Done No Why To"[8] for ensemble Roomful of Teeth.[9] His music video "Vitali Variations",[10] featuring violinist Tatiana Berman, was aired in twenty-six countries.[11] Donnelly is the creator of the concert series Not So Classical,[12][13][14][15] which is a hybrid film/concert experience and has starred saxophonist Amy Dickson and The Masked Singer judge Ken Jeong.[12]

Donnelly's conceptual art has been featured at the Constella Festival of Music and Fine Art[16] and has been acquired by collectors.[17] Donnelly has been a guest speaker at the Curtis Institute of Music and Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music.[18] He is also a visual artist.[19]

Donnelly is also a co-founder of CultureNet, an interactive subscription service for music-lovers and educators. CultureNet has been featured on CBS News,[20] Thrive Global, Billboard,[21] Digital Trends, and the Penn Law Journal.[22]

Film projects

Donnelly is the executive producer of the documentary Gabe (2017). Gabe tells the story of a young man battling muscular dystrophy[23] which premiered at the Whitney Museum in 2016. He is the director of Forte and Nordic Pulse starring Kristjan Järvi & Paavo Järvi, feature-length documentaries focusing on classical music and scheduled for international release throughout 2020.[24]

References

  1. ^ "Northern Kentucky Filmmaker Spent Years With Paavo Jarvi, Orchestra to Create Documentary". The River City News. April 1, 2015. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
  2. ^ "Think About It". Retrieved January 18, 2016.
  3. ^ "Consequences". Retrieved January 18, 2016.
  4. ^ Brooks, Katherine. "New Documentary 'Maestro' Sheds Light On The Uncertain Future Of Classical Music". The Huffington Post. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
  5. ^ "Maestro Movie". Retrieved January 18, 2016.
  6. ^ "Filmmaker, Holmes Grad Finds Acclaim Overseas & Has New Film on iTunes". The River City News. October 31, 2016. Retrieved November 2, 2016.
  7. ^ Donnelly, David (October 17, 2014). "Why Failing Orchestras Are the Problem of Every American". Huffington Post. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
  8. ^ Constella TV (March 30, 2015), Roomful of Teeth "High Done No Why To", retrieved November 2, 2016
  9. ^ Young, Logan. "PREMIERE: Roomful of Teeth, Ohio's Constella Festival Team Up for William Brittelle's "High Done No Why To" Music Video". Classicalite. The Classicalite Company. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
  10. ^ Constella TV (March 17, 2015), Vitali Variations Tatiana Berman, retrieved November 2, 2016
  11. ^ Brooks, Katherine (March 17, 2015). "The Ohio Festival That's Challenging The Misconceptions Of Classical Music". Huffington Post. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
  12. ^ a b "Not So Classical". Culture Monster. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
  13. ^ Brunner, Jeryl. "Classical Music Wunderkind Dmitry Sitkovetsky Reveals Why Challenges Help Us Thrive". Forbes. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  14. ^ "Ken Jeong Discusses the Resonance of Music in Trailer for Not So Classical | Playbill". Playbill. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  15. ^ Filmmaker David Donnelly Talks 'Not So Classical,' Featuring Ken Jeong, September 27, 2017, retrieved October 30, 2017
  16. ^ "Constella Festival – 2017". www.constellaarts.com. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  17. ^ "Constella Festival". Retrieved November 2, 2016.
  18. ^ "David Donnelly". Retrieved May 13, 2021.
  19. ^ Group, Sinclair Broadcast. "This House Has An Incredible History, But Its Present Might Be Even More Impressive". Cincinnati Refined. Retrieved November 2, 2016. {{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  20. ^ "CultureNet streaming service offers virtual music education". YouTube. November 20, 2020.
  21. ^ "A Guide to Remote Music Education Resources During the Coronavirus (Updating)". Billboard. April 9, 2020.
  22. ^ "CultureNet Zooms in on New Market for the Arts in Pandemic Era". February 5, 2021.
  23. ^ "Gabe". Culture Monster. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
  24. ^ "Culture Monster Portfolio". Culture Monster. October 30, 2017.