Imke David (born 4 June 1967 in Erlangen, Germany) is a German viol player, author, Professor and Ensemble-Member.
David grew up in Erlangen in a musical family. As a six-year-old she was a member of the seven-member viol ensemble made up of her family members.
As a gifted student, she was admitted as a junior student in 1986. She studied Early Music, majoring in viol with Jordi Savall at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis. After a short while, she became a steady member of Savall's ensemble Hesperion XX.
Major influences during her study in Basel were Jesper Christensen, Andreas Staier and René Jacobs.
Professional appearances followed with Cantus Cölln, Concerto Palatino, Concerto Vocale under the direction of René Jacobs, Hesperion XXI under the direction of Jordi Savall, Le Concert des Nations. She was the first viol player to be awarded a prize at the international competition for Early Music in Bruges.
David performs internationally as a viol player and has taken part in radio broadcasts and CD recordings. From 1991 to 1996, compositions for solo viol were composed for her by composer Art Clay. She premiered and recorded these pieces. With the project Broken Words, a text and music - performance with Urs Jaeggi (text), Art Clay (live electronics) and David (Air-Bow), she explored the use of the viol in modern settings.
She researched the lirone, an Italian string instrument from the Early Baroque. This 13-string instrument was used for continuo, but few people can now play it. David has developed a chordal style of playing. In this technique, the aim is to produce a timbre similar to the organ, suitable for the accompaniment of laments and recitatives in the works of Claudio Monteverdi and his contemporaries.
In 2010 David became a professor of viol, Lirone and violone at the Department of Early Music of the Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt. There, she teaches in addition the interpretation of the different styles of European Renaissance music early and High Baroque, She is active in international competitions as a judge.