Roland Dyens

French guitarist and composer Roland Dyens is an artist who transcends genres. Although most frequently associated with his extraordinary accomplishments in the classical guitar world, Dyens is also recognized for his arrangements of jazz compositions (his album Night and Day is a collection of standards), and considered to be among the finest contemporary composers for solo guitar. As such, a Roland Dyens concert—always without a set program—is as likely to include compositions by Frédéric Chopin or Silvius Leopold Weiss as it may feature arrangements of pieces by Django Reinhardt, Thelonious Monk, or Brazilian composer Pixinguina, whose music is the subject of Dyens’ latest recording, Naquele Tempo (GSP Recordings).

Dyens own compositions are not only featured on many of his recordings, his pieces (in particular, “Tango en Skaï” and “Fuoco”) have become part of the contemporary guitar repertoire, and he was commissioned to compose the required piece for the Guitar Foundation of America’s competition in 2007.

Dyens has been touring internationally since the late 1970s, receiving critical acclaim wherever he performs. “Imagine Keith Jarrett playing the guitar,” says Japan’s Gendai Guitar, and France’s Le Monde de la Musique calls Dyens “One of the greatest living guitarists.” Acoustic Guitar magazine included Dyens’ album “Citrons Doux “in its list of most essential guitar recordings of all time in the February 2010 issue, and Soundboard says, “Dyens is a treasure.”