Role

:

Composer  

Country

:

France

Birth

:

October 19, 1955

Death

:

October 29, 2016

Period

:

Contemporary

Genre

:

Chamber

 

Roland Dyens was a French classical guitarist, composer, and arranger who was born on October 19, 1955, in Tunis, Tunisia. He was raised in France and began playing the guitar at the age of nine. Dyens was a self-taught musician who learned to play by listening to recordings of his favorite guitarists, including Django Reinhardt, Chet Atkins, and Wes Montgomery. Dyens studied at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris, where he won first prize in guitar performance in 1976. He also studied composition with Darius Milhaud and orchestration with Maurice Ohana. Dyens went on to become a professor of guitar at the Conservatoire National de Région de Paris and the École Normale de Musique de Paris. Dyens was known for his virtuosic guitar playing and his innovative compositions and arrangements. He was particularly interested in blending different musical styles, including jazz, classical, and world music. Dyens was also a prolific composer, with over 100 works for guitar to his name. One of Dyens' most famous compositions is his Tango en Skai, which he wrote in 1985. The piece is a lively and rhythmic tango that has become a staple of the classical guitar repertoire. Dyens also wrote a number of other popular works for guitar, including Libra Sonatine, Saudade No. 3, and Fuoco. In addition to his original compositions, Dyens was also known for his arrangements of popular songs and classical works. He arranged music by artists such as The Beatles, Duke Ellington, and Frank Zappa, as well as classical composers like Bach and Chopin. Dyens' arrangements were often characterized by their inventive harmonies and rhythms, as well as their virtuosic guitar writing. Dyens was a highly respected figure in the classical guitar world, and he performed and taught all over the world. He was also a prolific recording artist, with over 20 albums to his name. Dyens' recordings were known for their high level of musicianship and their innovative approach to the guitar. Sadly, Dyens passed away on October 29, 2016, at the age of 61. His death was a great loss to the classical guitar community, but his music continues to be performed and enjoyed by guitarists and music lovers around the world. Dyens' legacy as a composer, performer, and teacher will continue to inspire generations of musicians to come.

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