The passing of Roland Dyens last week was not just a loss to the guitar scene, but also, to the world. Anyone who had met Dyens knows that beyond his fantastic playing the guy had a personality that could make anyone smile. As a guitarist he was one of my favourite performers filling his concerts with virtuosity, musicality, humour, and always connecting with his audiences. Never pretentious, he would pick up a guitar at anytime and lay down some jazz riffs then immediately switch gears into the classical rep. He infused his playing with his personality making him fearless and unforgettable. He was a breath of fresh air in the stuffy world of classical concerts. Not to mention his contributions as composer, and arranger. Here he is playing Berimbau by Baden Powell via Guitar Salon International via their YouTube. Recorded live at the Guitar Salon International showroom in Santa Monica, CA. Guitar: 1947 Robert Bouchet.
Roland Dyens Playing Powell
Bradford Werner
Bradford Werner is a classical guitarist and music publisher from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. He originally created this site for his students at the Victoria Conservatory of Music but now shares content worldwide. Curating guitar content helps students absorb the culture, musical ideas, and technique of the classical guitar. Bradford also has a YouTube channel with over 94,000 subscribers and 13 million views. He taught classical guitar at the Victoria Conservatory of Music for 16 years and freelanced in Greater Victoria for 20 years and now dedicates much of his time curating content online and helping connect the classical guitar community. See more at his personal website.