ANDREA DIECI

Classical Guitar

Italy

Andrea Dieci graduated “cum laude” with special distinction at the “Verdi” Conservatoire of Milan. He studied with Oscar Ghiglia at the Summer Classes held at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena (always with Diploma of Merit distinction) and at the Musikakademie in Basle, Switzerland, where he earned the “Solistendiplom”. He has also attended masterclasses with Julian Bream.

He has won First Prize in the International Competition of Gargnano, the International Competition of Lagonegro (dedicated to 20th century guitar music) and the “De Bonis” International Competition of Cosenza. Moreover, he was awarded a Special Prize at the ARD-Musikwettbewerb held in Munich in 1989.

Andrea Dieci has been described as “an impressive guitarist” by the Times Herald and “a true star of the classical guitar” by Corriere della Sera. He has performed extensively for prestigious music societies all over Europe, in the USA, Central and South America, Africa and Asia. He has appeared at such famous events as the Spoleto Festival of Two Worlds, the Festival of the Guitar Foundation of America (GFA) and the Singapore International Festival, and at music festivals in Milan, Madrid, London, Athens, Istanbul, Los Angeles, Tokyo, among others. He has premièred several pieces dedicated to him by contemporary composers. Mr Dieci’s performances have been broadcast by major radio and TV companies including Italian Radio-Television (RAI), Vatican Radio, Radio Nacional Española, Swiss-Italian Radio-Television, Euroradio and the BBC.

His several CDs, released under MAP, Nuova Era, Bèrben, DotGuitar and Brilliant Classics labels, include a CD of Manuel Ponce’s guitar music and CDs dedicated to Nicola Jappelli and Astor Piazzolla (with violinist Piercarlo Sacco). He has recorded the complete works for solo guitar by Toru Takemitsu (MAP, 2004 – awarded the “Golden Guitar” 2005 for the best CD of the year at the International Guitar Convention of Alessandria), the complete works for solo guitar by Heitor Villa-Lobos (MAP, 2009) and the complete works for solo guitar by Hans Werner Henze (Brilliant Classics, 2016 - awarded the “Golden Guitar” 2017 for the best CD of the year at the International Guitar Convention of Alessandria).

He is the only guitarist to have recorded the complete solo works by these three important composers. His last solo album is devoted to the Complete Sonatas by Fernando Sor (Brilliant Classics, 2017). In addition to being in demand as a performer, Dieci is also a renowned teacher.

He has presented  masterclasses at important music institutions in Italy, France, Switzerland, Spain, United Kingdom, Poland, Greece, Bulgaria, Brazil, Mexico, USA, Singapore and Japan. He is currently based at the Vecchi-Tonelli Conservatoire in Modena-Carpi, also teaching yearly masterclasses at the Regondi Guitar Academy in Milan.