About Dave Wishart
Dave Wishart is a Scottish pianist, conductor, and vocal coach specialising in contemporary classical opera and experimental music. He currently works at Theater Vorpommern in northern Germany and has collaborated with a wide range of singers, composers, and ensembles throughout Europe.
Dave is known for his calm, encouraging approach and his ability to make even the most rhythmically or harmonically complex scores feel approachable and expressive. His coaching focuses on clarity, musicality, and communication — helping each performer find freedom and authenticity in performance.
David Wishart moves effortlessly between piano and keyboard, leading and accompanying with sensitivity and stylistic assurance
Opernglas 4/2022 on Sprich mit mir!
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Dave has worked on productions across the contemporary and classical repertoire, including new opera premieres, 20th-century chamber works, and large-scale concert projects.
He has extensive experience supporting singers and instrumentalists as a répétiteur and accompanist.
Collaborations include Deutsche Oper Berlin, Opera de Tenerife, Theater Vorpommern.
Professional experience
Artistic Approach
I believe that music-making works best in the environment of curiosity and respect. I care deeply about treating my colleagues kindly and working in a way that encourages exploration rather than fear of mistakes. My aim is to help musicians I collaborate with feel confident enough to take risks — to try, to fail, to laugh, and to find something new.
I think critically about what I do, questioning habits and traditions rather than following them blindly. While I have a strong grounding in the stylistic conventions of western classical music, I see them as tools, not constraints. I enjoy finding creative, rational, and sometimes unconventional solutions to musical challenges.
Above all, I try to keep music human. Humor, flexibility, and genuine collaboration matter to me as much as accuracy and discipline. Whether coaching a singer through a complex score, leading a rehearsal or accompanying on the piano, I want the process of music-making to feel alive, thoughtful, and shared — never robotic.
