Alirio Diaz
Encyclopedia
Alirio Díaz is a Venezuela
n classical guitar
ist.
The eighth of eleven children, Díaz was born in Caserio La Candelaria, a small village near Carora
in western Venezuela. From childhood he showed a great interest in music. At age 16 he ran away from home to Carora, where he sought better schooling. He later went to Trujillo, in the Venezuelan Andes
, and studied saxophone
and clarinet
under Laudelino Mejías
while working as a typesetter in a newspaper. He also studied English and typewriting before going to Caracas
in 1945 to study the guitar at the Escuela Superior de Musica José Ángel Lamas
under Raul Borges
.
In 1950, the Venezuelan Government awarded him a scholarship to continue his guitar studies in Madrid
under Regino Sainz de la Maza
. That same year he performed his first guitar concert in Europe. In 1951 he went to Siena
(Italy), seeking to study with Andrés Segovia
. There he impressed Segovia greatly with his flawless technique and extensive repertoire. Three years later, he progressed to become the assistant and substitute to Segovia, and started performing in some of the most prestigious concert halls of Europe.
In 1961, Spanish composer Joaquín Rodrigo
's piece Invocación y Danza, dedicated to Alirio Díaz, won the First Prize at the Coupe International de Guitare, awarded by the Office de Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française
(ORTF). In turn, Díaz obliged and the next year performed this very difficult solo piece. Due to its many complexities, this particular work is very seldom performed. It has been recorded by Díaz. This was the first of many composition
s subsequently dedicated to Alirio Díaz.
Alirio Díaz has performed all over the world combining baroque
music with the works of modern Latin America
n composers, such as Lauro
, Sojo
and Barrios Mangoré
. He currently teaches in Rome and performs in concert with his son Senio. During the European winter, he usually returns to Venezuela to his native town, La Candelaria. For several years, a guitar contest named Concurso Internacional de Guitarra Alirio Díaz has been held in his honor in Caracas
and other cities in Venezuela (the April 2006 contest was held in Carora), where he often makes appearances.
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
n classical guitar
Classical guitar
The classical guitar is a 6-stringed plucked string instrument from the family of instruments called chordophones...
ist.
The eighth of eleven children, Díaz was born in Caserio La Candelaria, a small village near Carora
Carora
Carora is a town in Lara State, Venezuela, on the Morere River, a branch of the Tocuyo River. It is about 54 miles southwest of Barquisimeto. Carora was founded twice. The first time, in the year 1569 by Juan de Tejo, but due to constant attacks from the indigenous population, it was abandoned,...
in western Venezuela. From childhood he showed a great interest in music. At age 16 he ran away from home to Carora, where he sought better schooling. He later went to Trujillo, in the Venezuelan Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
, and studied saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
and clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
under Laudelino Mejías
Laudelino Mejías
Laudelino Mejías, b. , d. , was a Venezuelan composer, best known for the waltz Conticinio.- Early life :...
while working as a typesetter in a newspaper. He also studied English and typewriting before going to Caracas
Caracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
in 1945 to study the guitar at the Escuela Superior de Musica José Ángel Lamas
José Ángel Lamas
José Ángel Lamas was a Venezuelan classical musician and composer born in Caracas. He was the main representative of the classical period in Venezuela....
under Raul Borges
Raul Borges
Raúl Borges Requena was a renowned Venezuelan pedagogue, guitarist and composer, mentor of several generations of Venezuelan guitarists.- External links :* * *...
.
In 1950, the Venezuelan Government awarded him a scholarship to continue his guitar studies in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
under Regino Sainz de la Maza
Regino Sainz de la Maza
Regino Sainz de la Maza y Ruiz was a Spanish classical guitarist.At age ten, he got his first guitar and started his musical studies with Santiago Landache , José Nicolás Quesada , and Eugenio Rodríguez Pascual...
. That same year he performed his first guitar concert in Europe. In 1951 he went to Siena
Siena
Siena is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena.The historic centre of Siena has been declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site. It is one of the nation's most visited tourist attractions, with over 163,000 international arrivals in 2008...
(Italy), seeking to study with Andrés Segovia
Andrés Segovia
Andrés Torres Segovia, 1st Marquis of Salobreña , known as Andrés Segovia, was a virtuoso Spanish classical guitarist from Linares, Jaén, Andalucia, Spain...
. There he impressed Segovia greatly with his flawless technique and extensive repertoire. Three years later, he progressed to become the assistant and substitute to Segovia, and started performing in some of the most prestigious concert halls of Europe.
In 1961, Spanish composer Joaquín Rodrigo
Joaquín Rodrigo
Joaquín Rodrigo Vidre, 1st Marquis of the Gardens of Aranjuez , commonly known as Joaquín Rodrigo, was a composer of classical music and a virtuoso pianist. Despite being nearly blind from an early age, he achieved great success...
's piece Invocación y Danza, dedicated to Alirio Díaz, won the First Prize at the Coupe International de Guitare, awarded by the Office de Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française
Office de Radiodiffusion Télévision Française
The Office de Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française was the national agency charged, between 1964 and 1974, with providing public radio and television in France.-Post World War II:...
(ORTF). In turn, Díaz obliged and the next year performed this very difficult solo piece. Due to its many complexities, this particular work is very seldom performed. It has been recorded by Díaz. This was the first of many composition
Musical composition
Musical composition can refer to an original piece of music, the structure of a musical piece, or the process of creating a new piece of music. People who practice composition are called composers.- Musical compositions :...
s subsequently dedicated to Alirio Díaz.
Alirio Díaz has performed all over the world combining baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
music with the works of modern Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
n composers, such as Lauro
Antonio Lauro
Antonio Lauro was a Venezuelan musician, considered to be one of the foremost South American composers for the Guitar in the 20th century.- Biography :Antonio Lauro was born in Ciudad Bolívar, Venezuela...
, Sojo
Vicente Emilio Sojo
Vicente Emilio Sojo was a Venezuelan musicologist, educator and composer, born in Guatire, Miranda.- Biography :...
and Barrios Mangoré
Agustín Barrios
Agustín Pío Barrios , an eminent Paraguayan guitarist and composer, was born in the department of Misiones, Paraguay and died in San Salvador, El Salvador...
. He currently teaches in Rome and performs in concert with his son Senio. During the European winter, he usually returns to Venezuela to his native town, La Candelaria. For several years, a guitar contest named Concurso Internacional de Guitarra Alirio Díaz has been held in his honor in Caracas
Caracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
and other cities in Venezuela (the April 2006 contest was held in Carora), where he often makes appearances.
See also
- VenezuelaVenezuelaVenezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
- Venezuelan music
- Michele Pittaluga International Classical Guitar CompetitionMichele Pittaluga International Classical Guitar CompetitionThe "Michele Pittaluga" International Classical Guitar Competition is an annual music competition for young classical guitarists held in Alessandria, Italy. It was founded in 1968 and has earned an international reputation, entering membership of the World Federation of International Music...
founded with his support
External links
- Homepage www.aliriodiaz.org
- Biography at Caroni Music
- Biography at Concorso Internazionale di Chitarra Classica "Michele Pittaluga"
- Un asunto de pulsaciones - Alirio Díaz by Milagros Socorro
- "80 Años del Canto de una Guitarra"
- International Jose Guillermo Carrillo Foundation
Recordings
- Some photos of LP covers (Oviatt Library Digital Collections)