Born in Wisconsin, USA, David Mason began playing the viola at age 8. After graduating from the Interlochen Arts Academy in 2009, he went on to attend the New England Conservatory of Music, graduating with a Bachelor of Music degree in 2013 on a full scholarship. He then went on to pursue his Master of Music degree at Yale University, graduating in 2015, also receiving a full scholarship. His major teachers include David Holland, Martha Katz, and Ettore Causa. Since moving to Japan in 2017, David has been a member of the Hyogo Performing Arts Center Orchestra and the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra. Currently, he is a member of the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra. David also frequently appears as a guest performer in ensembles throughout Japan and is a recitalist and chamber musician. He performs on a viola made by American maker Douglas C. Cox of Vermont, made in 2007. Mason was a member of the PMF Academy in 2012, 13, and 14. This year marks his third professional appearance at PMF since 2021.