“Roland would listen respectively to a student’s work ̶ and we included original student compositions ̶ and respond with unveiled honesty, but with appropriate expertise.”Ī session devoted to student compositions is particularly memorable for Piorkowski. Instructional time that Dyens gave at Fredonia was special, said Mr. Brew was a member of the Fredonia Guitar Quartet and performed at a Dyens master class in 2009. Now a doctoral candidate at Indiana University, Mr. Dyens gave a recital and master class in 2011 and was an integral part of the 2009 Art of the Guitar series, hosting a composition seminar and master class and giving a classical guitar concert. Performances of Dyens compositions will be given by SUNY Distinguished Professor James Piorkowski and guitar professor Evan Drummond, along with current music students and Stephen Brew, a 2010 Fredonia graduate now teaching at Stonehill College near Boston, Mass.ĭyens had strong ties to Fredonia, visiting the campus on several occasions and writing a composition specifically for the Fredonia Guitar Quartet. Dyens’ unexpected passing in late 2016 shocked the classical guitar community that had regarded him as one of its most creative, inspiring and vivacious free spirits. A concert honoring Roland Dyens, a world-class guitarist, composer and teacher ̶ and generous friend of Fredonia’s Guitar program ̶ will be held on Thursday, March 23, 8 p.m., in Rosch Recital Hall.

Roland dyens night and day