David Donnelly

David Donnelly
Born	Kentucky, U.S.
Occupation	Director writer producer
Years active	2003–present

David Donnelly is an American filmmaker, writer and artist. Donnelly graduated with honors from the 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.

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 a comprehensive portrait of contemporary classical music. Donnelly made the documentary with the intention of exposing a broader audience to the classical genre. Maestro is currently airing on international networks across the globe and is utilized in the United States as a 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 concert series Not So Classical, which revolutionizes the genre through a hybrid film/concert experience.

As well as writing and directing, Donnelly 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. 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 also preparing the release of the documentary Gabe (2017), which he executive produced. Gabe tells the inspirational story of a young man battling muscular dystrophy. Donnelly's future projects include his next documentary A History of Consciousness, a novella, and a compilation of poetry and vignettes.