David Newsam

David Newsam grew up in Connecticut where he was a student of Robert Shaw. He is a graduate of Berklee College of Music in Boston where he studied with Jim Kelly, Larry Baione, and William Leavitt. Newsam recently completed his studies in the Modern American Music program at Longy School of Music where he studied with Thom Noren and Charlie Banacos.

Newsam currently works as an Associate Professor in the guitar department at Berklee where he teaches jazz, classical, and flamenco courses. He is also employed as a senior lecturer in music at Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH, where he teaches guitar and jazz improvisation. He created the guitar program at the University of New Hampshire where he teaches jazz and classical guitar, directs the UNH Guitar Ensembles, and coaches jazz ensembles. 

Newsam performs solo and group engagements throughout New England. He has performed in concerts and clinics with many noted musicians, among them guitarists Jim Hall, Bucky Pizzarelli, and Howard Alden; pianists Dave McKenna and James Williams; drummers Ed Shaugnessy, Louis Bellson, Bob Moses, and Alan Dawson; and jazz legends Clark Terry, Phil Wilson, Joe Williams, and Milt Jackson. He has extensive theater experience including performances with Jack Jones, Mitzi Gaynor, Dianne Carroll, The Fifth Dimension, The Shirrelles, and Carol Channing. Recent concert appearances include performances at Berklee College of Music, Longy School of Music, Dartmouth and St. Anselm Colleges, The House of Blues, and the Boston Hatch Shell. Newsam is the author of the book Making Money Teaching Music, published by Writer's Digest Books and the Instructional DVD, How to Accelerate Your Classical Guitar Playing produced by Rittor Music, Inc.

Newsam's repertoire includes the works of important American composers like Duke Ellington, George Gershwin, Richard Rodgers, and Cole Porter. He also explores the rich history of Latin American guitar, including works by Leo Brouwer, Garoto, Astor Piazzolla, H. Villa-Lobos, and the songs of Antonio Carlos Jobim and Luis Bonfa. Newsam combines his extensive knowledge of American jazz music and improvisation with the compelling rhythms of Latin America. Taking inspiration from the innovative Laurindo Almeida, Gene Bertoncini, Wes Montgomery, and Jim Hall, Newsam uses guitar to create unforgettable interpretations of North and South American influence.

B.M. Berklee College of Music, 1981

MUSI 463: Jazz Combo
MUSI 550/750/850: Classical Guitar
MUSI 563/763/863: Jazz Guitar

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