" I am a person captivated by two art forms, two forms that live brilliantly in their own spheres but when combined create an entirely unique magic.   Two forms that would constantly vie for my attention and that would ultimately come together in a unified whole.   

Music was first out of the gate and dominated my life culminating in a successful conducting career.    However, it was not to be a conducting career in the traditional sense.   The visual medium kept insisting its presence in almost all aspects of my symphonic programming - I simply couldn’t shut it out.   And so, I embraced it.  Indeed, I began to trumpet its cause for I saw this element as not merely a welcome addition but, perhaps the elusive answer to a persistent problem…. diminishing concert audiences.  We had become a visual society and symphonic life had not realized it…yet.

From that point I strove to integrate the visual arts into almost all parts of the symphonic programming: visually charged, fast-paced children’s concerts; concerts with moving images displayed above the orchestra;  films accompanied by the full orchestra;  live video projection of the musicians and conductor;  and even reseating the orchestra – all now was becoming a permanent feature of my concert programs. 

I was most pleased to have these new ideas ‘legitimized’ in such things as a PBS documentary on my children’s program and the invitation to conduct the first full length film accompanied by live orchestra in the tradition-bound opening concert of the Spoleto Festival in Italy.    But, the greatest confirmation?  As I looked out at my audiences, I began to notice a younger and newer audience – they did in fact want to “see” at a concert. 

Years passed in this endeavor and I found myself at an interesting crossroads in my artistic life.

Art is a continually evolving process and by not engaging in that evolution one risks stagnation.   And so, after almost twenty years of conducting and, amidst comfort and security, I put down my baton in order to devote myself to filmmaking.  I wanted to delve deeper into this integration of two forms.   But, to do so, I needed to approach it from the opposite perspective.  This time, I wanted film be the predominant form with music in the supporting role.

And that could only be achieved in one way…my eyes had to become predominant…. I had to become a filmmaker.

And so that is what I have done.... I am now in the middle stages of that new effort.  The four productions I have finished are all documentary in nature and of varying length.  I tend to be interested in the ‘underdog’ (sometimes literally), and hope my films will, in some small way, shed light on situations that oppress and victimize people and animals.  My next project involves filming the harrowing journey that immigrants from Honduras and Guatemala and Mexico undertake to get to the USA.  Most often this long journey involves riding the tops of trains, thereby exposing themselves to constant physical danger, unspeakable injuries and constant attacks by gangs lying in wait hence the title “Train-Jumping”.

The score will be an original score utilizing the popular music found in Central America, Mexico and the southern borders of Texas and New Mexico."

                                                                                  ...... David Pollitt