Hassan, 2025

David Chivers is a French-American composer, violinist, and producer whose work for film and documentary is rooted in a deep conviction: that art must serve society and respond to the world we live in. Composing for stories that engage with human rights and social justice is, for him, a powerful way to fulfill this purpose.

His music blends classical tradition with contemporary textures, crafting emotionally rich and evocative soundscapes. With a sensitivity to image and narrative, David creates scores that are both cinematic and deeply human—merging acoustic instrumentation, orchestral minimalism, and subtle electroacoustic experimentation to support and elevate the story.

He composed the original score for Jon Snow: A Witness to History (Channel 4), and in 2025, he scored Hassan, a moving film by Palestinian director Muhammed Alsharif. He is currently working for Sama, an experimental documentary by Rashid Masharawi, portraying the life of a young girl in Gaza.

Originally trained as a classical violinist, David won First Prize at the International Croydon Competition and has performed worldwide as a soloist, chamber musician, and early music specialist.

He is also the creator and host of the Make Art Not War podcast, a space for dialogue on the political and cultural role of the artist in today’s world.
“David is not only an excellent composer but a wonderful collaborator. He takes on board the demands and complexity of a film's narrative and brings great sensitivity, freshness and nuance to the table. He's easy to work with and fast. ”

— Paul Dosaj (BAFTA, RTS, Grierson and Broadcast Awards)

Channel 4 - Jon Snow 

I recently finished scoring a very powerful film about Channel 4 news presenter Jon Snow, directed by Johnny Burke. It's been a crazy intensive couple of months, exchanging ideas with the production team on a daily basis. Also on a daily basis, my mood yoyoed from ecstatic eureka moments to near-suicide when I couldn't figure out the right mood for a cue within 5 minutes. But deadlines are deadlines, the wheel of production must keep turning! As yes that of course includes a couple of lovely all-nighters, delivering at 5 or 6 am to allow work on the latest cut by morning! I think we composers account for about half of the world's coffee harvest at this point.

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