David O’Doherty began his studies at the R.I.A.M. at the age of 7 with Maeve Broderick and later Geraldine O'Grady. From the age of 13 to 17 he travelled weekly to Cork to study with Adrian Petcu at the School of Music. He continued his studies at Y.E.S. with Ronald Masin before enrolling in his class at the DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama, Dublin where he graduated in 1996 with B.Mus. Honours Degree in performance. 
With an award from the Arts Council of Ireland, David travelled to the Conservatoire of Lausanne, Switzerland where he studied with Pierre Amoyal and Jean Jaquerod. 
At the Lausanne Conservatoire, David received a First Prize Diploma of Virtuosity; the highest musical qualification in Switzerland. During his studies he had the opportunity to perform in chamber recitals with his professor Pierre Amoyal and as soloist with the conservatory orchestra playing on a Giuseppe Guarneri, del Gesù violin. In 1997 David made his American debut live on the Boston Radio show "Morning pro Musica" and a year later made his soloist's debut with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland.
Upon graduation, David's passion for chamber music brought him to the conservatory in Geneva where he enrolled in the class of Gui-Michel Caillat for a two year specialization in sonata work in collaboration with the international prize-winning pianist Catherina Lemoni. During that time, David founded the Byron Quartet with whom he later enrolled in the class of Gabor Takacs Nagy for a further two years of intensive specialization. The quartet graduated with honours before a panel including Martin Lovett of the Amadeus Quartet and continued their studies at the C.N.R in Paris with the Ysaye Quartet. In that time the quartet was nurtured by the Pro Quartet scheme; a scheme for the development and promotion of professional ensembles.
Throughout his studies David has had Master classes with György Kurtág, Simon Kuhn, David Dolan, Dimitri Yaplonski, Barthold Kuijken, Eduard Schmieder, Christophe Coin, Simon Kuhn, Raphael Oleg, Yair Kless, Jean Pierre Vallez, Pavel Berman, Giuliano Carmignola, Vladimir Mendelssohn, Bruno Pasquier and members of the Amadeus, Alban Berg, Bartok, Sine Nomine, Vanbrugh, Cleveland, Vermeer, and Italiano Quartets.
Currently a lecturer at the DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama, David is a regular recitalist, concert soloist, conductor and enthusiastic chamber musician. He has given performances throughout Europe, most notably at the Paderewski Hall in Lausanne, the Salle Gabriel Fauré, Paris, the Zürcher Kammerorchester Haus in Zurich, the National Concert Hall in Dublin and at the Chopin Hall of the Chopin University in Warsaw with a recital broadcast on Polish national radio.
As a chamberist, David is regularly invited to prestigious festivals throughout the world. He has enjoyed collaborations at the Espace 2 Schubertiade (Switzerland), Kalomiris Festival (Greece), Ravenna Festival (Italy), Castiglione del Lago Festival (Italy), Aureo Herrero Festival (Spain), West Cork Festival (Ireland) and the New World Music Festival (Venezuela).

David has released seven albums and featured on many more. His latest recording "David O'Doherty in Recital" is a collection of the most virtuosic masterpieces from the repertoire.

David is a member of the harp trio "Reflecting Strings" with Moya O'Grady and Geraldine O'Doherty. Since 2003, together with his wife pianist Catherina Lemoni and Francesco Bartoletti - cello Professor at the Geneva Conservatory- David is cofounder of the Paderewski Trio; the name awarded by the Paderewski foundation in Morges, Switzerland. The group has performed internationally to critical acclaim, including a concert at the Hugh Lane Gallery in Dublin which was hailed by critic Dick O'Riordan (Sunday Business Post) as 'a sublime concert...undoubtedly at the very peak of chamber music offerings.'