2010-2011 Sundin Hall Concert Series starts with Roland Dyens

Concert: Saturday, September 25th, 2010
Masterclass: Sunday, September 26th, 2010

Born in 1955, French guitarist, composer, arranger, and improviser Roland Dyens began later he became a student of Spanish master guitarist Alberto Ponce and, in 1976, was awarded the Licence de Concert de l’École Normale de Musique de Paris. While learning his instrument, Dyens also studied composition with renowned teacher, composer, and conductor Désiré Dondeyne, under whose guidance he was awarded First Prize in Harmony, Counterpoint, and Analysis. Among other awards obtained early in his career, Dyens received the Special Prize at the International Competition Città di Alessandria (Italy) and the Grand Prix du Disque de l’Académie Charles-Cros, both in honor of major Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos. At age 25, Dyens became a laureate of the Yehudi Menuhin Foundation. Eight years later, he was recognized as one of the “Best Living Guitarists” in all styles by the French magazine Guitarist. Later, he was awarded the “Chitarra d’Oro 2006” for his body of work by the Presidency of the Città di Alessandria International Competition. In 2007, he was chosen by the Guitar Foundation of America (GFA) to compose the set piece for its prestigious annual competition. More than 50 guitarists presented this work and its central improvisation. Two of his students, Jérémy Jouve and Thomas Viloteau, have won first prize at the GFA competition, in 2003 and 2006, respectively. During his 2007 North American tour, Dyens’s recital in Winnipeg earned five stars from the Winnipeg Free Press—only the second time that the daily paper, established in 1872, had awarded such high praise. In 2008, his work was recognized with the Premio per la Composizione at the 2nd International Festival of Città di Fiuggi, near Rome. A few months later, he was asked to compose the music and conduct the ensemble that performed to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Guitar Ensemble Association of Japan. In January 2010, Dyens was the only classical guitarist invited to participate in an homage to the great Django Reinhardt, in a concert given at the legendary Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris.

Roland Dyens shares the joy of his musical talent through performing, composing, and teaching around the world. This three-dimensional profile provides the basis for his phenomenal success and ongoing evolution. Always transformative events, Dyens’s concerts unfold as personal experiences of emotional awakening for the audience. Inspired by the musical unity demonstrated in his concerts, audience members often later use the impact of the artist’s virtuosity and creativity to guide their own perception of music and, more broadly, their lives. Those unfamiliar with the contours and nuances of classical guitar performance often experience an inspirational discovery of the instrument and its musical potential, not to mention the pleasure it gives. Dyens has a sensitive and colorful approach to the guitar—an open-mindedness that brings together all forms of music in every program. His stage presence, improvised openings, and unique relationship with the listeners put him at the forefront of guitar performance today. For decades, his music has been an integral part of the instrument’s repertoire, placing him in a select group of contemporary guitarist/ composers. As player and composer, Dyens never ceases to challenge the limitations of his instrument. The number of participants and auditors in Roland Dyens’s masterclasses is due to the depth of his approach. With a keen sense of quality and emotional strength, his natural ability to communicate with younger generations of guitarists transforms the formality of a masterclass into a joyful encounter. Dyens teaches at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris.