David Atherton OBE (born 3 January 1944) is an English conductor and founder of the London Sinfonietta.
His father, Robert Atherton, was the Music Master at St Joseph's College, Blackpool and was also a conductor.
In 1967 Atherton was founder of the London Sinfonietta[4] and, as its Music Director, a position he held until 1973, gave the first performance of many important contemporary works.
Also in 1967 he was invited to join the music staff of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, by Sir Georg Solti.
Then in 1980 he was appointed Music Director of the San Diego Symphony, a post he held until 1987 and Principal Conductor of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic.
In 1989 he founded the Mainly Mozart Festival in San Diego and was appointed Music Director of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, a post he held until 2000.
In recognition of his services to the music of Hong Kong, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire and the title of Conductor Laureate of the orchestra.