David Measham was born in Nottingham. His father, Lester, had trained as an opera singer and his mother, Joan, was a pianist. He commenced his violin studies at the age of seven. His urge to conduct manifested early, though, as he conducted his first concert at age 13. He went from the Mundella Grammar School, Nottingham, to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London, where he studied with Norman Del Mar. He then joined the the BBC Symphony Orchestra. He went on to the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra as co-leader (1963-67) alongside John Georgiadis. While there, he was also music director of Phoenix Opera, and chief conductor of the Stetson University Summer Institute in Florida. He became principal second violin with the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) in 1967 after the post became vacant following Neville Marriner’s departure to become conductor of the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. At one rehearsal, he took over when the conductor, Leonard Bernstein, said he wanted to hear what the orchestra sounded like from the back of the hall and called for a volunteer conductor. He then had further assistance in conducting from Bernstein.