Roland Dyens

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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 undergone heart surgery. 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
• Aria (guitar quintet)
• Brésils (4 guitars or ensemble)
• Chansons françaises Vol.1 (solo guitar )
• Chansons françaises Vol.1 (solo guitar - tablatures)
• Chansons françaises Vol.2 (solo guitar)
• Citrons doux et le Quatuor Accorde (solo guitar)
• Concertino de Nürtingen (solo guitar & guitar ensemble)
• Concerto en si (solo guitar & guitar ensemble)
• Concerto métis (guitar & piano)
• Concerto métis (solo guitar & string orchestra)
• Concertomaggio (2 guitars and string orchestra)
• Comme un rond d'eau (4 guitars)
• Côté Nord (2 guitars)
• Côté Sud (guitar octet - quartet possible)
• Eloge de Léo Brouwer (solo guitar)
• Hamsa (4 guitars or guitar ensemble)
• Hommage à Franck Zappa (solo guitar)
• Hommage à Villa-Lobos (solo guitar)
• L.B. Story (solo guitar)
• Libra Sonatine (solo guitar)
• Lulla by Melissa (solo guitar)
• Mambo des Nuances et Lille Song (solo guitar)
• Mes arrangements à l’amiable (solo guitar)
• Muguet et L’Allusive (solo guitar)
• Rossiniana n°1 d’après Mauro Giuliani (solo guitar & string quartet)
• Rythmaginaires (guitar octet)
• Santo Tirso (solo guitar)
• Songe Capricorne (solo guitar)
• Suite Polymorphe (4 guitars or guitar ensemble)
• Tango en Skaï (solo guitar & string quartet)
• Tango en Skaï (solo guitar)
• Triaela (solo guitar)
• Trois (3) pièces polyglottes - Valse des loges, Flying Wigs & Sols d’Ièze (solo guitar)
• Trois Saudades
• Valse des anges - Angel’s waltz (solo guitar)
• Valse en skaï (solo guitar)
• Variations sur un thème de la "Flûte Enchantée" Mozart/ Sor (4 guitars or guitar ensemble)
• Ville d'Avril (4 guitars or guitar ensemble)
• Ville d'Avril (solo guitar)

Selected discography

• Chansons françaises Volume 1
• Chansons françaises Volume 2

External links

• Official website
• Roland Dyens Internet Radio at Pandora
• Jazz Mind and Classical Hands - Roland Dyens and his Style of Arranging and Performing (2005) by Michelle Birch
• Homage in the Solo Guitar Music of Roland Dyens Thesis (2006) by Sean Beavers
• Tango En Skai arranged for Accordion
• An interview with Roland Dyens by Sofia Mazi (July 2006; Arnea, Halkidiki, Greece)