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

 

Dieci 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. Andrea Dieci has been proclaimed “an impressive guitarist” by the Times Herald (USA) and “a true star of the classical guitar” by Corriere della Sera (Italy). He made his debut at thirteen, since when he has performed extensively as a soloist, in chamber-music ensembles and with orchestras for prestigious music societies all over Europe, in the USA, Central and South America, Africa and Asia. He has played concerts at world-famous events such as the Spoleto Festival of Two Worlds, the Festival of the Guitar Foundation of America (GFA) and the Singapore International Festival. He has performed in important venues, such as Dai-Ichi Seimei Hall in Tokyo, DBS Auditorium in Singapore, Meng Hall in Los Angeles, Ataturk Centre and Cemal Resit Hall in Istanbul, and many more.

 

Andrea Dieci’s wide repertoire ranges from Bach to contemporary music and includes the complete works of Heitor Villa-Lobos & Toru Takemitsu, as well as the most important concertos and chamber-music works. He has premiered several pieces dedicated to him by contemporary composers. Among his most recent projects, the performance of the complete guitar works by Heitor Villa-Lobos in several European countries and in the United States to mark the 50th anniversary of the composer’s death. Moreover, he has played monographic programs devoted to Manuel Maria Ponce & Toru Takemitsu.

 

Andrea Dieci’s performances have been broadcast by major radio and TV companies including Italian Radio-Television (RAI), Radio Nacional Española, the BBC and Euroradio. Andrea Dieci’s 8 CDs, released under MAP Golden, Bèrben and Nuova Era labels, include a monograph dedicated to Manuel Maria Ponce’s guitar music, a double CD dedicated to the complete works for solo guitar by Toru Takemitsu (awarded the “Golden Guitar” 2005 at the X International Guitar Congress of Alessandria as the best CD of the year) and a recent double CD dedicated to the complete solo guitar works of Heitor Villa-Lobos (MAP Maestro, 2009).

 

Andrea Dieci has recently been Visiting Professor at the “C. Monteverdi” Musical Institute in Cremona. He currently teaches at the “G. Regondi” Guitar Academy in Milan and at the “A. Casella” Conservatoire in L’Aquila. He has presented masterclasses at important music institutions in Italy, France, Switzerland, Spain, United Kingdom, Poland, Greece, Bulgaria, Brazil, Mexico, USA, Singapore and Japan.