A native New Mexican, David Beatty was born and raised in Albuquerque, where he attended Sandia High School and was first introduced to music theory and composition through an extracurricular class offered by his choir director, Alex J. Chavez. He pursued undergraduate studies in music theory and composition at Indiana University and at Eastern New Mexico University under Dr. Jon Jonsson, with minors in both piano and vocal performance under Dr. Ruth Meyer and Richard Cage, respectively. He pursued graduate studies in vocal pedagogy at Oklahoma City University under Vicky Leloie Kelly, with vocal studies under Inez Lunsford Silberg.

David taught voice at Oklahoma City University and voice and music theory at Midwest Christian College, Oklahoma City, and was a vocal coach/accompanist with Opera in the Ozarks in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. He also served as organist at Western Oaks Christian Church (DOC) and Christ Memorial Episcopal Church in the Oklahoma City area, and sang in the vocal chamber ensemble Music Sacra.

After moving back to New Mexico, David served as Director of Music at Christ Lutheran Church, and now serves as Associate Musician at First Presbyterian Church, where he also sings in the Chancel Choir and plays in the Handbell Choir. Since 2013, David has been a contract singer with The Santa Fe Symphony Chorus and a member of the Opera Southwest chorus in Albuquerque. He has given several organ recitals as part of the TGIF Concert Series at First Presbyterian Church in Santa Fe, NM, as well as recitals at the St. Francis Auditorium; on the historic Kilgen organ at Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Las Vegas, NM; and Cimarron United Methodist Church in Cimarron, NM. He is a member of the Albuquerque Chapter of the American Guild of Organists. He assists in the music programs at St. Michael’s High School and the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis, and, on a limited basis, works as a vocal coach.

David has been heard in many opera and musical roles, including: Betto (Gianni Schicchi, Puccini), Valentin (Faust, Gounod), Padre (Man of La Mancha, Leigh), Jess (Slow Dusk, Floyd), Hucklebee (The Fantasticks, Schmidt), and the Starkeeper/Judge (Carousel, Rodgers). He appeared in the North American premiere of Dave Brubeck’s La Fiesta de la Posada with the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra & Chorus and was selected by Mr. Brubeck to understudy both the Bass and Baritone Kings.

As a composer and arranger, David has created music for various genres, ranging from sacred choral, organ, and solo vocal works to bell choir, and Celtic harp. Some of his newer works have been premiered at First Presbyterian Church, Santa Fe, either as service music or on the TGIF Concert Series. He recently created editions of Henry Purcell’s coronation anthem I Was Glad and Claudio Monteverdi’s Messa a 4 da Cappella specially for The Santa Fe Symphony Chorus. Among his works are commissions, dedicatory, and occasional pieces for, among others, Concord Choir (Oregon), Christ Memorial Episcopal Church (Oklahoma) for the installation of new stained glass windows, Cimarron United Methodist Church (New Mexico), the Oklahoma Music Educators Association, St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral (Oklahoma) celebrating the retirement of their Dean, The Very Reverend George Back, the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection (Oklahoma), Western Oaks Christian Church (Oklahoma), and most recently a four-movement work for the Santa Fe Women’s Ensemble which premiered in April 2019.