Bio

Cellist David Dietz has performed across North America and Europe and is experienced in a variety of settings as a performer, educator, and administrator. His belief in classical music’s ability to strengthen communities and bring people together has driven his involvement in many creative projects, including the Houston Music Festival, as co-founder; the Windwood Music Festival, as community liaison; and Monarch Chamber Players, as a core member. 

Chamber music is at the core of David’s musical practice. He is a founding member of Trio Menil, a piano trio that performs extensively throughout the United States and was the Grand Prizewinner at the 2023 Plowman Chamber Music Competition. During the 2024-25 season, Trio Menil performed a series of concerts in diverse venues across Houston featuring a new work written for the Trio by Nicky Sohn. Other recent performance highlights of David’s include appearances with APERIO, Monarch Chamber Players, DACAMERA Young Artists, the Windwood Trio, and recitals with pianist Tong Wang in Houston and Montreal. 

David was raised by two public school music teachers, and firmly believes in music education’s ability to lift up communities and build a more compassionate society. He regularly appears in classrooms across Houston to perform and speak about classical music, and has recently given masterclasses at Houston’s High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, American Festival of the Arts, and Opus 1 Chamber Music School. David also serves on the faculty of Lone Star College- University Park as an Adjunct Instructor of Cello and maintains a robust private studio. 

David holds a Master’s Degree from Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music where he studied with Desmond Hoebig, and a Bachelor of Music and Performance Diploma from Indiana University, where he studied with Eric Kim. In his free time David loves to read historical fiction novels, drink a lot of coffee, and explore the many bicycle trails throughout Houston, Texas.