David Starobin (born September 27, 1951) is a highly honored figure in the world of classical guitar. Called "arguably the most influential American classical guitarist of the 20th century" (Soundboard),^{[This quote needs a citation]} Starobin was inducted into the Guitar Foundation of America's Hall of Fame in 2011. He is the only guitarist to have been awarded Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Career Award (1988), and is the dedicatee of more than three hundred new compositions including music by composers Elliott Carter, George Crumb, Poul Ruders and Gunther Schuller.^{[citation needed]}

Starobin was born in New York City. Starobin performs on both nineteenth century and modern guitars, and has received Grammy nominations as guitarist and as Classical Producer of the Year. In 1981, he founded Bridge Records, a record company which has been honored with 32 Grammy nominations. Starobin is a co-founder of the guitar department at the Curtis Institute of Music, and also teaches at Manhattan School of Music, where he was the holder of MSM's Andres Segovia Chair. Starobin studied guitar with Manuel Gayol, Alberto Valdes Blain and with Aaron Shearer at the Peabody Institute. His musical compositions are published by Editions New Rochelle (New York) and Edition Wilhelm Hansen (Copenhagen)^{[citation needed]} and he records for Bridge Records.^[1]