About

About David

David C. Symons is an accordionist, composer, singer, and accordion technician living in New Orleans since 2012. He founded and currently leads New Orleans-based Brechtian European “chamber folk” cabaret ensemble The Salt Wives, klezmer band Klezervation Hall, Vermont-based band Inner Fire District, founded legendary Vermont bands Black Sea Quartet and The Brass Balagan, and has played in many bands, including Obliquestra, Daniel Kahn and The Painted Bird, Ezekiel’s Wheels, Debauche, and The Underscore Orkestra. He is a former musical director of Spielpalast Cabaret in Burlington, and has worked as a composer for The Vermont Stage Company, as well as acting in many plays. He originated the role of Hades in the original 2006 and 2007 productions of Anais Mitchell’s folk opera Hadestown. David is a former faculty member at The Summit School in Montpelier, VT, where he taught a course on klezmer music. He operates Big Squeezy Accordion Repair and Tuning, and is a founder of the New Orleans Accordion Festival and founder of Brechtfest, an annual musical tribute to Bertolt Brecht.

Photos


Videos

Mini version of The Salt Wives (ordinarily a 5-6 piece) playing my (rather Satie inspired) composition 70 Miles To London.

Joseph McGinty – violin
Lydia Stein – euphonium
David C. Symons – Christmas light festooned accordion, composer

Recorded at Art Klub in New Orleans by The ElekTrik Zoo, December 31st, 2016


The Brass Balagan at Occupy Burlington

Stuck in Vermont TV show. Correction: I said “Radical Yiddish/Balkan Chamber Folk”.

David performing “The Ballad of Edward the Young” by Daniel Kahn in Spielpalast Cabaret. Featuring Seth Gillim (Edward), Laura Wolfson (Lucia), Bon Provenzano (Rodolpho), Cami Clark and Aziza Malik (Cigar Girls).