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Roland Dyens

Roland Dyens (born October 19, 1955, Tunis, Tunisia) is a French classical guitarist, composer, and arranger.

Life and career Dyens studied guitar with the Spanish classical guitarist Alberto Ponce and analysis with Désiré Dondeyne. He has won several prizes in competitions for classical guitar performance as well as for composition. As a performer, Dyens is known for his extraordinary capacity for improvisation. Essentially unique among classical guitarists, Dyens frequently opens his concerts with an improvised piece, in order to help him get a feel for the hall and the audience. His guitar music draws on many elements of folk music and jazz, and has become popular with players. Tango en Skaï (1985), is one of his best-known pieces, but also widely played is the more extended

Libra Sonatine (1986) written in three movements: "India", "Largo", "Fuoco", composed after Dyens had suffered a heart attack. Skaï is a French slang term

for imitation leather, and here references the Gauchos of Argentina and Southern Brazil who are known for their distinctive leather outfits. Hence Tango

en Skaï is a humorous, gaudy take on the tango. In addition to being the most prolific guitar composer of his generation, Dyens has also released several volumes of arrangements. Ranging from Jazz standards to Brazilian folk music, these arrangements have made their way into the repertoire of both professional and amateur guitarists. Dyens tours extensively and has performed at many music festivals and held master classes at many locations across Europe, the United States and Asia. He currently teaches at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris, where he is Professor of Guitar.

Selected list of works 

20 Lettres Pour Guitare Solo

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Aria (guitar quintet)

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Brésils (4 guitars or ensemble)

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Chansons françaises Vol.1 (solo guitar )

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Chansons françaises Vol.1 (solo guitar - tablatures)

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Chansons françaises Vol.2 (solo guitar)

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Citrons doux et le Quatuor Accorde (solo guitar)

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Concertino de Nürtingen (solo guitar & guitar ensemble)

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Concerto en si (solo guitar & guitar ensemble)

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Concerto métis (guitar & piano)

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Concerto métis (solo guitar & string orchestra)

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Concertomaggio (2 guitars and string orchestra)

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Comme un rond d'eau (4 guitars)

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Côté Nord (2 guitars)

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Côté Sud (guitar octet - quartet possible)

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Eloge de Léo Brouwer (solo guitar)

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Hamsa (4 guitars or guitar ensemble)

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Hommage à Franck Zappa (solo guitar)

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Hommage à Villa-Lobos (solo guitar)

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L.B. Story (solo guitar)

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Libra Sonatine (solo guitar)

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Lulla by Melissa (solo guitar)

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Mambo des Nuances et Lille Song (solo guitar)

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Mes arrangements à l’amiable (solo guitar)

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Muguet et L’Allusive (solo guitar)

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Rossiniana n°1 d’après Mauro Giuliani (solo guitar & string quartet)

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Rythmaginaires (guitar octet)

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Santo Tirso (solo guitar)

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Songe Capricorne (solo guitar)

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Suite Polymorphe (4 guitars or guitar ensemble)

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Tango en Skaï (solo guitar & string quartet)

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Tango en Skaï (solo guitar)

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Triaela (solo guitar)

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Trois (3) pièces polyglottes - Valse des loges, Flying Wigs & Sols d’Ièze (solo guitar)

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Trois Saudades

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Valse des anges - Angel’s waltz (solo guitar)

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Valse en skaï (solo guitar)

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Variations sur un thème de la "Flûte Enchantée" Mozart/ Sor (4 guitars or guitar ensemble)

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Ville d'Avril (4 guitars or guitar ensemble)

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Ville d'Avril (solo guitar)

Source - Wikipedia

Today. Roland Dyens shares the joy of his musical talent through his performing, composing and teaching accross the world. This three-dimensional profile provides the basis for his phenomenal success and his ongoing evolution. Always transformative events, Roland Dyens’ concerts unfold as personal experiences of emotional awakening for the audience. Inspired by the musical unity demonstrated in his concerts, audience members will often later use the impact of the artist’s virtuosity and creativity to guide their own perception of music and, more broadly, their lives as well. For those who are unfamiliar with

the contours and nuances of classical guitar performance, one often witnesses an inspirational discovery of the instrument and its musical potential, not to mention the pleasure it gives the audience. Roland Dyens has a sensitive and colorful approach to the guitar - an unfailing open-mindedness which brings together all forms of music to each and every one of his programs. His stage presence, his improvised openings and unique relationship with the listeners undeniably position him at the forefront of guitar performance today. For a long time now, his music has been an integral part of the instrument’s repertoire, placing him at the heart of a select group of contemporary guitarist/composers who enjoy such a privileged position. His compositions and arrangements are widely performed and highly acclaimed throughout the world. They provide a new breath of life for the guitar as this player and composer never ceases to challenge the limitations of his instrument. The growing number of participants and auditors in Roland Dyens’ master classes is surely due to the depth of his approach which is rich in innovative themes. With a keen sense of quality and emotional strength, his natural ability to communicate with younger generations of guitarists transforms the formality of a master class into a joyful encounter. Roland Dyens teaches at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris. Yesterday Born on October 19, 1955, French interpreter, composer, arranger and improviser Roland Dyens began guitar studies at the age of nine. Four years 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, Roland Dyens also studied composition with the renowned teacher, composer and conductor Désiré Dondeyne under whose guidance he was awarded the First Prize in Harmony, Counterpoint and Analysis.

Among the most distinguished awards obtained during the early years of his career, Roland Dyens received the Special Prize at the International Competition Città di Alessandria (Italy) and the Grand Prix du Disque de l’Académie CharlesCros, both in honor of the major Brasilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos. At the age of 25 he became a laureate of the Yehudi Menuhin Foundation. Eight years after this, he was recognized as one of the “Best Living Guitarists” in all styles by the French magazine Guitarist. On the 30th of September 2006, he was awarded the “Chitarra d’Oro 2006” for his body of compositions by the Presidency of the Città di Alessandria International Competition. The following year, in 2007, he was honoured by the Guitar Foundation of America (GFA), which chose him to compose the set piece for its prestigious annual competition, held in Los Angeles. More than 50 guitarists presented «Anyway» and its central improvisation. (It’s noteworthy that two students of Roland Dyens, Jérémy Jouve and Thomas Viloteau, won the highly coveted first prize at the GFA competition in 2003 and 2006 respectively.) In October 2007, during his autumn tour of North America, Roland Dyens’ October 6th recital in Winnipeg earned five stars from the Winnipeg Free Press. It was only the second time that the daily paper, established in 1872, had awarded such high praise. On the 27th of July 2008, his works are again recognized in Italy with the Premio per la Composizione at the 2nd International Festival of Città di Fiuggi, near Rome. A few months later, he was privileged to be asked to compose the music and conduct the ensemble which will be performing in order to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the prestigious Guitar Ensemble Association of Japan. “Soleils levants” was finally premiered on November 9th 2008 in Nakano Zero Main Hall of Tokyo. On the 21st of January 2010, Roland Dyens is honored with the privilege of being the only classical guitarist invited to participate to an homage to the great Django Reinhardt, in a concert that will be given at the legendary Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. In July, 2011, his recital at the International Córdoba Guitar Festival received the highest accolade of the coveted "Five Stars" from the Spanish Press, titling its review "Roland Dyens, El Mago de la guitarra" (the Wizzard of guitar).

Roland Dyens is ranked highest in the "Top 100" list of most recorded original works for the guitar by living composers, worldwide. Furthermore, three of Dyens' compositions are part these 100, according to the remarkable book by the Canadian musicologist Enrique Robichaud, "Guitar's Top 100 : Classical Guitar's Most Recorded Music" published in 2013. ©2014 Roland Dyens - All rights reserved - Roland Dyens Management and credits.