David Occhipinti is a Canadian composer, guitarist, and recording artist
What's New
David’s latest release (2026), Looking Glass, features compositions for electric guitar and string trio. Compositions on it are inspired by dadaist artists and by Lewis Carroll novels on compositions such as The Frumious Bandersnatch, which explore extended techniques on a modified electric guitar that take the listener into new sound worlds. There are special guests on the last 4 tracks: Beverley Johnston (vibraphone), Alex Hetherington (mezzo-soprano), and Charlotte Mundy (soprano).
David’s Camera Ensemble released Camera Lucida, in 2025, which has eight tracks that feature chamber music compositions along with improvisational elements. Camera, (2012) was the first recording with the ensemble, and was heralded by David’s late mentor, New York guitarist, Jim Hall as: “an absolute gem… his writing is unique, his playing is completely original and stunning… an absolute work of art!"
The recordings are available on CD and LP. Visit David's bandcamp site for more details.
"Ultimately, Camera Lucida is an album for lovers of art in its broadest sense. Whether you come from the world of jazz or classical music, you will encounter here a rare intellectual clarity and an artistic sincerity that are instantly compelling."
-Paris Move
“The album showcases eight new compositions that blend the elegance of chamber music with the spontaneity of jazz improvisation. Camera Lucida paints vivid musical portraits that reflect Occhipinti’s boundless creativity.”
- Christopher Gonda V13
David was commissioned by the Kairos Percussion Quartet to compose Alurum for percussion quartet. The work premiered in Toronto on October 22, 2025. There is a video performance available to see on YouTube.
David's music has been featured on the CBC in Canada and the BBC in the U.K..
David’s first orchestral work, Saturnia (2022), was part of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s ‘Explore the Score’ orchestral reading program which took place at Roy Thomson Hall on October 22, 2022. An interview about the piece with David and the CMC's Joseph Glaser is available here.
David Occhipinti received a commission from the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra to compose a piece for brass and percussion. The premiere performance of En Passant was in Ottawa on May 1st, 2022 with Jean-Michel Malouf conducting.
Harpist Erica Goodman and flautist Suzanne Shulman have recorded a David Occhipinti composition for harp and flute called, Net of Gems. Look for it on their release called A Net of Gems.
Percussionist Beverley Johnston has posted three settings of David's pieces for voice/marimba/vibraphone based on E.E. Cummings poems called, Clockwork Cummings. Beverley also performed the piece at a percussion festival in Poland during the summer of 2023.
There are scores and recordings for David's music available on bandcamp: https://davidocchipinti.bandcamp.com/merch
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David Occhipinti
Bio
“It's definitely music for today, streamlined yet atmospheric...a listener hears the rare but gratifying combination of lyricism and cutting-edge music."
- Geoff Chapman, The Toronto Star
“Ultimately, Camera Lucida is an album for lovers of art in its broadest sense. Whether you come from the world of jazz or classical music, you will encounter here a rare intellectual clarity and an artistic sincerity that are instantly compelling.”
Thierry de Clemensat – Paris Move
David Occhipinti is a Canadian composer and guitarist whose music crosses borders from
jazz and improvised music, into contemporary classical music and beyond. David has
received two Chalmers Arts Fellowships, as well as JUNO nominations for his work as a
recording artist. Among his nominated works are his critically acclaimed album Forty
Revolutions in 2007; and Duologue, in collaboration with saxophonist Mike Murley, in 2003.
David’s latest release (2026), Looking Glass, features compositions for electric guitar and
string trio. Compositions on it are inspired by dadaist artists, and also by the Lewis Carroll novels on compositions such as The Frumious Bandersnatch, which explore extended techniques on a modified electric guitar that take the listener into new sound worlds.
David’s Camera Ensemble released Camera Lucida, in 2025, which has eight tracks that
feature chamber music compositions along with improvisational elements. Camera, (2012)
was the first recording with the ensemble, and was heralded by David’s late mentor, New
York guitarist, Jim Hall as: “an absolute gem… his writing is unique, his playing is
completely original and stunning… an absolute work of art!"
The 2019 release, these out of infinite, features David’s works for the voice with text by Dylan Thomas, James Joyce, e.e. cummings, T.S. Elliot, Emily Carr, Emily Brontë, and Emily Dickinson. Fanfare magazine wrote, “Occhipinti’s settings are stellar and hypnotic....like George Crumb... sheer delight. It breathes freshness and clarity.”
David’s recorded work has been featured on the CBC and BBC.
David’s first orchestral work, Saturnia (2022), was part of the Toronto Symphony’s ‘Explore the Score’ reading event that occurred at Roy Thomson Hall in October of 2022.
David received a commission from the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra to compose a piece for brass and percussion. The premiere performance of En Passant was in Ottawa on May 1st, 2022 with Jean-Michel Malouf conducting.
A world premiere recording of Net of Gems, for flute and harp, appears on a recent recording by Suzanne Shulman and Erica Goodman. David has also had his compositions commissioned or recorded by a wide-ranging list of artists- including percussionist Beverley Johnston, Kairos Percussion Quartet, Arraymusic Ensemble, Canadian Children’s Opera Chorus, and Random Access Large Ensemble.
David has performed and toured across Canada, the U.S., Europe, and Japan. He has performed Canadian premieres of works by Steve Reich and Gabriel Prokofiev. David has been based in Toronto for most of his career, but during the 1990s he also spent some time studying in New York City with Jim Hall, and three years living in Italy.
click for full bio
Quotes from musicians:
(Camera)
"David Occhipinti has created an absolute gem [Camera]. His writing is unique, his playing is completely original and stunning.
His music is an absolute work of art!"
- Jim Hall
"[Camera] Very strong, original writing. I hope it receives the attention it deserves!"
- Ben Monder
"David Occhipinti is a badass. His latest CD, Camera, is like nothing I've heard."
- Greg Wells (Producer)
"Frank Zappa meets Stravinsky...a master composer and performer. I thoroughly enjoyed playing his music!"
- Beverley Johnston (percussionist who has commissioned works from David)
"A guitarist with a unique style that blends influences from jazz to pop to contemporary classical music. He is a wonderful accompanist with an excellent sense of time, space and texture. I love all the sounds that David produces on the guitar."
- Mike Murley (saxophonist from a magazine article)
“I’m working with a great guitar player here named David Occhipinti.
He writes very fluently and fluidly in all genres but he’s kind of carved out his own niche and carved out his own sound. His music really challenges me in a way that I haven’t been challenged as far as exploring time signatures and different kinds of moods. It’s the type of music that doesn’t have any precedent so the four of us really create a sound that isn’t jazz, it isn’t classical, it isn’t folk, it’s just really good music.”
-drummer Terry Clarke (in an interview with Renee Rosnes for CBC radio)
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