During the 1970s, Michael Newman gained international recognition as one of the outstanding concert guitarists of his generation. He has appeared as soloist with the Atlanta, Seattle, and Honolulu Symphonies, and in chamber music collaborations with mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade, violinist Arnold Steinhardt (Guarneri String Quartet), Celtic fiddler Eileen Ivers, author Frank McCourt (Angela’s Ashes), and Turtle Island String Quartet.
Newman has been featured in national media including People Magazine, The Larry King Show, The New York Times, and Guitar Player Magazine.
Born in Brooklyn and raised in rural western New Jersey, Newman received his initial classical training from Thomas Anthony in New Jersey. He graduated from Mannes College of Music as a student of Alberto Valdes Blain and studied at the Aspen Music School and Accademia Musicale Chigiana with Oscar Ghiglia.
Michael Newman has performed on five continents and has served on the guitar and chamber music faculty at Mannes School of Music in the College of Performing Arts at The New School in New York City since 1979. He also teaches at The College of New Jersey and New Jersey City University.
Together with guitarist Laura Oltman, and now celebrating their 42nd anniversary season, the Newman & Oltman Guitar Duo has earned critical acclaim for its 12 CD recordings. Ensemble-in-Residence at Mannes School of Music since 1987, the duo’s concert tours have taken them to world cultural capitals and premier venues across five continents and to 49 U.S. states.
Newman & Oltman have built a unique repertoire of works composed for the duo by leading and emerging composers, including Leo Brouwer, Paul Moravec, Augusta Read Thomas, Daniel Binelli, Lowell Liebermann, João Luiz, Dušan Bogdanović, Arthur Kampela, Michael Chapdelaine, and Roberto Sierra.
Their collections of music arranged for two guitars are published by Theodore Presser and Mel Bay Publications.
To celebrate the 80th birthday of Cuban composer Leo Brouwer in 2019, Newman & Oltman performed the world premiere of Brouwer’s El Libro de los Seres imaginarios (The Book of Imaginary Beings), a major new ensemble work composed for the duo.
The piece has been recorded by the duo and released on the MusicMasters label in Audiophile Vinyl LP, CD, and streaming platforms.
For the 2021 video tribute Remembering Julian Bream, Newman & Oltman received a new duet from Leo Brouwer, Through the Looking Glass, recorded in 2022.
Newman & Oltman are founding directors of the New York Guitar Seminar at Mannes , now in its 26th year, the Raritan River Music Festival , celebrating its 33rd season, and the Lanciano International Guitar Seminar , now in its 14th edition.
Visit the duo’s website: www.guitarduo.com