For those unaware, David Occhipinti is a JUNO nominated composer, and guitarist whose music crosses borders from jazz and improvised music, into contemporary classical music and beyond.

Acclaimed Toronto composer and guitarist David Occhipinti returns on June 12th, 2026 with a stunning new ensemble work, Looking Glass (Elastic Recordings). This album is a deep dive into color, chromatic harmony, and sonic experimentation.

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).

1. Six Bagatelles 1
2. Six Bagatelles 2
3. Six Bagatelles 3
4. Six Bagatelles 4
5. Six Bagatelles 5
6. Six Bagatelles 6
7. The Frumious Bandersnatch
8. Sonyshnyky (Sunflowers - dedicated to Ukraine)
9. Sotto le Stelle (dedicated to Maria Occhipinti - feat. Alex Hetherington)
10. Who’s your Dada? (feat. Charlotte Mundy)
11. You Stepped Out (feat. Alex Hetherington)

The JUNO nominated composer, and guitarist opens his new recording on the six-part Six Bagatelles: first comes the playfully furtive 1, the emotively sumptuous 2, the scintillatingly cultured 3, and then come the stylishly regal 4, the measured 5, the last part 6 being a resoundingly sculpted piece.

Along next is a lushly sculpted dichotomy of rhythms and melodies that bring us the gift of the 13 minute The Frumious Bandersnatch, and that is in turn backed by a summer breeze that wafts across the fields of flowers Sonyshnyky (Sunflowers - dedicated to Ukraine), the more formidable Sotto le Stelle (dedicated to Maria Occhipinti and featuring Alex Hetherington), the set rounding out on the scampering Who’s your Dada? (featuring Charlotte Mundy), coming to a close on the atmospherically-charged You Stepped Out (featuring Alex Hetherington).

Musicians:
David Occhipinti - guitar
Aline Homzy - violin
Steven Dann - viola
Maria Zachariadou - cello

Guest Artists:
Beverley Johnston - vibraphone, crotales (08)
Alex Hetherington - mezzo-soprano (09, 11)
Charlotte Mundy - soprano (10)

Official Purchase Link

Official Website