Roland Dyens
- October 29, 2016
- 61 years
About Roland Dyens
Roland Dyens, 61, French classical guitarist and composer.
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Full Biography
|Roland Dyens (French: [ʁɔlɑ̃ djɑ̃s]) (19 October 1955 – 29 October 2016) was a French classical guitarist, composer, and arranger. He is considered one of the greatest guitarists of his time.
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 (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 heart surgery. "Its three movements are an explicit portrayal of that very particular period of my life: first the chaotic India (before the operation), then the Largo (during it) and finally the Fuoco, in which the unrestrained rhythms depict a veritable incarnation of my return to life (and several guitarists often play this last movement as an independent piece)" quotes Dyens. "Skaï" is a French slang term for imitation leather and here refers to the gauchos (cowboys) 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
- International Competition Città di Alessandria, Italy, 1979
- Grand Prix de Académie Charles Cros, Villa-Lobos Concerto for Guitar and Small Orchestra
Selected list of works
- 20 Lettres Pour Guitare Solo
- Alba Nera (solo guitar)
- Aria (guitar quintet)
- Austin Tango (4 guitars or ensemble)
- 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)
- El último recuerdo (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)
- Les 100 de Roland Dyens (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)
- Saudade No.3 (Solo guitar)
- 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
- 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
Content from Wikipedia — licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
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Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland_Dyens
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 16 questions
Questions drawn from Roland Dyens's archived record and the sources above.
1.Which Spanish classical guitarist was a teacher of Roland Dyens?
- A.Alberto Poncecorrect
- B.Désiré Dondeyne
- C.Fernando Sor
- D.Heitor Villa-Lobos
Roland Dyens studied with the Spanish classical guitarist Alberto Ponce.
Source: Life and career section
2.What is the meaning of the word 'Skaï' in Roland Dyens' piece 'Tango en Skaï'?
- A.A type of Argentinian dance
- B.A term for a classical guitar technique
- C.A reference to a mountain range in Brazil
- D.A French slang term for imitation leathercorrect
In the context of the work, 'Skaï' is a French slang term for imitation leather and refers to the cowboys of Argentina and southern Brazil.
Source: Life and career section
3.Roland Dyens wrote the piece 'Libra Sonatine' following what medical event?
- A.Heart surgerycorrect
- B.A broken hand
- C.A lung infection
- D.A severe fever
The Libra Sonatine was written in three movements after Roland Dyens had heart surgery.
Source: Life and career section
4.Which institution did Roland Dyens teach at?
- A.Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musiquecorrect
- B.The Royal Academy of Music
- C.Conservatorio Superior de Madrid
- D.The Paris Jazz Conservatory
Roland Dyens taught at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique in the position previously held by Alberto Ponce.
Source: Life and career section
5.A journalist once described Roland Dyens as having the mind of what kind of musician?
- A.A rock musician
- B.A folk musician
- C.A pop musician
- D.A jazz musiciancorrect
A journalist told Roland Dyens he had the hands of a classical musician but the mind of a jazz musician.
Source: Life and career section
6.In which year was Roland Dyens' famous piece 'Tango en Skaï' composed?
- A.1995
- B.1985correct
- C.1986
- D.1979
Tango en Skaï was composed in 1985.
Source: Life and career section
7.Which of these musical figures' jazz standards were included in the arrangements released by Roland Dyens?
- A.Edith Piaf
- B.Fernando Sor
- C.Thelonious Monkcorrect
- D.Django Reinhardt
The arrangements released by Roland Dyens included jazz standards by Thelonious Monk.
Source: Life and career section
8.What award did Roland Dyens receive for his 'Villa-Lobos Concerto for Guitar and Small Orchestra'?
- A.International Competition Città di Alessandria
- B.Jazz Musicians Association Award
- C.Prix de la Musique Française
- D.Grand Prix de Académie Charles Croscorrect
Roland Dyens received the Grand Prix de Académie Charles Cros for his Villa-Lobos Concerto for Guitar and Small Orchestra.
Source: Awards and honors section
9.Which of the following movements from 'Libra Sonatine' is described as depicting the period before Roland Dyens' operation?
- A.Indiacorrect
- B.Skaï
- C.Fuoco
- D.Largo
The movement titled India depicts the chaotic period before the operation.
Source: Life and career section
10.Which festival in Sweden saw Roland Dyens perform with jazz musicians?
- A.Gothenburg Guitar Days
- B.Arvika Festivalcorrect
- C.Malmö Classical Festival
- D.Stockholm Jazz Festival
Roland Dyens played with jazz musicians at the Arvika Festival in Sweden.
Source: Life and career section
11.Which work by Roland Dyens was mentioned as being performed by a heavy metal band?
- A.Concerto métis
- B.20 Lettres Pour Guitare Solo
- C.Libra Sonatinecorrect
- D.Tango en Skaï
A heavy metal band performed a version of the third movement of Roland Dyens' Libra Sonatine.
Source: Life and career section
12.Roland Dyens lived most of his life in which city?
- A.Rome
- B.Alessandria
- C.Pariscorrect
- D.Tunis
Although born in Tunisia, Roland Dyens lived most of his life in Paris.
Source: Life and career section
13.Which of these is a listed work for solo guitar by Roland Dyens?
- A.Alba Neracorrect
- B.Aria
- C.Brésils
- D.Austin Tango
Alba Nera is listed as a work for solo guitar in the selected list of works.
Source: Selected list of works section
14.What is the full date of Roland Dyens' birth?
- A.15 October 1955
- B.19 October 1955correct
- C.29 October 2016
- D.19 October 1956
Roland Dyens was born on 19 October 1955.
Source: Life and career section
15.In which country was Roland Dyens born?
- A.Italy
- B.France
- C.Tunisiacorrect
- D.Sweden
The biography explicitly states that Roland Dyens was born in Tunisia.
Source: Life and career section
16.At what age did Roland Dyens pass away?
- A.62
- B.60
- C.61correct
- D.59
Roland Dyens died on 29 October 2016 at the age of 61.
Source: Life and career section
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