David Rourke

David Rourke started playing the guitar at age 10, after studying classical piano from age 5. Developing a passion for jazz in high school, he went on to study privately with legendary Montreal jazz guitarist Tony Romandini.

While in high school, he concurrently studied classical guitar and ear training at the Conservatoire de Musique de Montréal with Jean Vallières and Catherine Todorovski respectively. He was also playing in the Big Band there. After high school, David studied jazz guitar at Vanier College with Nick Di Tomasso, a former pupil of Tony Romandini.

David has also had the opportunity to study with internationally renowned jazz musicians like Peter Bernstein, Vic Juris, Joe Lovano, Ben Wendel, Jimmy Greene, Dick Oatts, as well as gigging regularly with great musicians at Montreal and New York City jazz scenes. David has also guest hosted the famous Upstairs Jam Session in Montreal with Jim Doxas and Adrian Vedady on numerous occasions. He regularly performs at all the major jazz clubs in Montreal namely Upstairs Jazz Club, Diese Onze, Biddles Jr. and Resonance Cafe.

David is currently in his second year at McGill University in Montreal, where he has been awarded three scholarships and awards.

David has performed at the Ottawa Jazz Festival and at the Beaches Jazz Festival. He has played at Place des Arts in Montreal and at the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts in Kingston, Ontario.

He has taken part of numerous jazz workshops at Humber College in Toronto, New York Jazz Guitar Workshop (New York City), Domaine Forget in Quebec, and at Skidmore College (Saratoga Springs, NY).

He has been teaching both guitar and piano for 10 years with over 20 students in that time.

David also has an online transcribing business and has transcribed music for people all around the world (youtube.com/progressiverourke).