Roland Dyens


Roland Dyens was a French classical guitarist, composer, and arranger. He is considered one of the greatest guitarists of his time.
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Life and career

Dyens was born in Tunisia and lived most of his life in Paris. He studied with Spanish classical guitarist Alberto Ponce and with Désiré Dondeyne.
As a performer, Dyens was known for improvisation. Sometimes he opened his concerts with an improvised piece, and he might improvise the program itself, without planning or announcing beforehand what he would be playing. He said that a journalist once told him he had the hands of a classical musician but the mind of a jazz musician. He played Bach suites and he played with jazz musicians at the Arvika Festival in Sweden. A heavy metal band did a version of the third movement of his Libra Sonatine.
Dyens released several volumes of arrangements that included not only the classical music of Fernando Sor but also the Brazilian music of Heitor Villa-Lobos, jazz standards by Thelonious Monk, the French pop of Edith Piaf, and the Gypsy jazz of Django Reinhardt.
Tango en Skaï, is one of his best-known pieces, but also widely played is the more extended Libra Sonatine written in three movements: "India", "Largo", "Fuoco", composed after Dyens had heart surgery.
"Its three movements are an explicit portrayal of that very particular period of my life: first the chaotic India, then the Largo and finally the Fuoco, in which the unrestrained rhythms depict a veritable incarnation of my return to life " quotes Dyens. "Skaï" is a French slang term for imitation leather and here refers to the gauchos of Argentina and southern Brazil who are known for their leather outfits.
He taught at Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique in the position held by his teacher, Alberto Ponce. He died on 29 October 2016 at the age of 61.

Awards and honors

Selected list of works

  • 20 Lettres Pour Guitare Solo
  • Alba Nera
  • Aria
  • Austin Tango
  • Brésils
  • Chansons françaises Vol.1
  • Chansons françaises Vol.1
  • Chansons françaises Vol.2
  • Citrons doux et le Quatuor Accorde
  • Concertino de Nürtingen
  • Concerto en si
  • Concerto métis
  • Concerto métis
  • Concertomaggio
  • Comme un rond d'eau
  • Côté Nord
  • Côté Sud
  • Eloge de Léo Brouwer
  • El último recuerdo
  • Hamsa
  • Hommage à Franck Zappa
  • Hommage à Villa-Lobos
  • L.B. Story
  • Les 100 de Roland Dyens
  • Libra Sonatine
  • Lulla by Melissa
  • Mambo des Nuances et Lille Song
  • Mes arrangements à l’amiable
  • Muguet et L’Allusive
  • Rossiniana n°1 d’après Mauro Giuliani
  • Rythmaginaires
  • Saudade No.3
  • Santo Tirso
  • Songe Capricorne
  • Suite Polymorphe
  • Tango en Skaï
  • Tango en Skaï
  • Triaela
  • Trois pièces polyglottes - Valse des loges, Flying Wigs & Sols d’Ièze
  • Trois Saudades
  • Valse des anges - Angel's waltz
  • Valse en skaï
  • Variations sur un thème de la "Flûte Enchantée" Mozart/ Sor
  • Ville d'Avril
  • Ville d'Avril

Selected discography

  • 1987 Villa-Lobos: Concerto/Suite Populaire Bresilienne/Choros, No. 1/Dyens: Hommage a Villa-Lobos
  • 1995 Chansons Françaises 1
  • 1997 Paris Guitare
  • 1999 Nuages: Solo Guitar Works
  • 2001 Roland Dyens: Citrons doux
  • 2001 20 Lettres Pour Guitare Solo
  • 2003 Night and Day
  • 2007 Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez; Dyens: Concerto métis
  • 2007 Sor & Giuliani
  • 2009 Naquele Tempo
  • 2015 ''Night and Day/Visite au Jazz''