David Nicholson was born and educated in Newcastle upon Tyne, and studied the flute with Geoffrey Gilbert at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, where he was a medallist in the final examinations.

He also studied with Jean-Pierre Rampal in France, and had some lessons from, and attended master classes with, Marcel Moyse. He is one of the founders of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, which during its 26 seasons of existence, with David as principal flute, has won a very considerable worldwide reputation, recording more than 130 CDs.

David has been a frequent soloist with the orchestra, playing Bach, Vivaldi, Stamitz, Mozart, Nielsen and he premiered and recorded the Concerto written for him by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies. He has also appeared as a concerto partner in double concertos with Jean-Pierre Rampal, Aurele Nicolet and Sir James Galway.

David has been on the teaching staff of the RSAMD in Glasgow for more than 30 years, and his pupils have been members of, or have worked regularly with, orchestras from Bournemouth in the South of England, many of the London orchestras, orchestras in Wales, Birmingham and Manchester, and all of the Scottish orchestras.