David Fray was born in 1981 and began to study music when he was 4 years old. His application to study piano with Jacques Rouvier at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris was unanimously accepted. He graduated with top honors for his diploma recital, and was awarded the Feydeau de Brou Saint Paul grant. At the 2004 Montreal International Music Competition, David Fray received both the Second Grand Prize, and the Prize for the best interpretation of an imposed Canadian work — Impromptu by Jacques Hétu, who dedicated the work to Fray. As another direct reward for his success in this competition, ATMA Classique released his first CD (Liszt and Schubert).
Daniel Fray has received numerous prizes and awards including a prize and a grant by the Banque Populaire, the Diploma of Outstanding Merit at the Fifth International Hamamatsu Competition in Japan; the Jeune soliste de l’année (Young Soloist of the Year) award, the most important of the prizes awarded by the Commission des radios publiques de langue française; and the Révélation classique (Classical discovery) prize from ADAMI.
David Fray gave numerous recitals in Europe, America and Asia : Cité de la Musique, Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, Théâtre du Châtelet, Auditorium du Louvre In Paris, Place des Arts in Montréal, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Alti Hall in Kyoto, Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels …
David Fray has also benefited from the advice of artists such as Dimitri Bashkirov, Menahem Pressler, Paul Badura-Skoda, Christoph Eschenbach (he performed under his direction Ravel's Concerto in G Major with the Orchestre de Paris), and Pierre Boulez on the interpretation of two of his works. Under his recommendation, David Fray received in Germany the prize for young talents of “Klavier Festival Ruhr” where he played in Summer 2006.
In 2005/06 David Fray undertook a tour in South America ; performed with the Orchestre Royal de chambre de Wallonie ; played a “Carnaval des Animaux” with the soloists of the Orchestre National de France ; took part in an homage to Henri Dutilleux ; performed the Orchestre Métropolitain du Grand Montréal under the direction of Yannick Nézet-Séguin (Ravel Concerto in G ; Falla, Nights in the Gardens of Spain) ; was invited by numerous festivals : 10th Beethoven Easter Festival in Warsaw (under John Axelrod with Bach Concertos and among Christoph Eschenbach, Robert Levine and Ya-Fei Chuang), La Roque d’Antheron, Piano aux Jacobins in Toulouse… In June 2006, he replaced Hélène Grimaud on Paris and Brussels with the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie in Bremen.
In 2006/07, he will perform with the Orchestre de Paris and John Axelrod (Mozart, 22nd Concerto); with the Orchestre National de France and Kurt Masur (Schumann, Introduction and allegro appassionato and Konzert allegro) ; Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, Orchestre Philharmonique de Liège and Pascal Rophé ; on tour with Riccardo Muti…
An extract of his recital (Schubert's "Wanderer" Fantasy) at La Roque d’Anthéron festival was recorded on DVD (Ideale Audience). He signed an exclusive contract with Virgin Classics. His first recording will include works by Bach and Boulez.