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 Programme - 24 April 2009
Once described by Julian Bream as a ‘very exciting’ performer, Dimitris Dekavallas has always been considered one of the most talented guitarists of his age. He was born in Athens in 1982 and began learning the guitar at the age of 6. He was first taught at the National Conservatory of Athens. Dimitris continued his studies at the Hellenic Conservatory of Athens in 1998 where he studied with Angelos Nikolopoulos. He graduated from the conservatory in 2002 with 1st Prize for achieving the highest mark.
From 2003-2004 Dimitris had private tuition with the Greek Guitarist Alexios Froudarakis. In 2005 he started his 1st year of a Postgraduate Degree at the Royal Academy of Music guitar studies under Michael Lewin, Timothy Walker and John Mills, where he won the TEBUTT EXIBITION Scholarship Prize. To enable Dimitris to study at the Royal Academy he won 1st Prize in the IKY NATIONAL Scholarship Foundation in Greece in 2004. In 2007 he received his Diploma of Postgraduate Performance (Distinction) in guitar and his LRAM Teaching Diploma (Distinction). The RAM awarded him with the ‘Blyth Watson Award’ at his graduation.
Dimitris gave his first public performance when he was 9 years old at the National Concert Hall of Athens. At this point his career took off leading to a concert tour in Greece in 2004. He has also given solo performances in Athens, Thessaloniki, Veria, Volos, Crete, Larissa, Ioannina, Syros and Lamia. Dimitris has also recently given a recital at Amourers Hall - City and Guilds, London, ‘Bolivar Hall International Guitar Festival’ - London, the Old Malt House - Hertfordshire, the Dorset Guitar Society, Royal Academy of Music - London 2007 and the Methodist Church - Sussex 2007. Future performances will be held at St Martin’s in the Field, Sheffield Cathedral and St Paul’s Covent Garden.
He has taken part in the ‘International Festival of Volos for Classical Guitar’, ‘International Festival of Hermoupolis for Guitar’, and ‘Veria National Festival for Guitar’.
In 1999 Dimitris won: 1st prize in the ‘National Guitar Competition: ODE TO GUITAR’.
In 2000 2nd prize in the ‘Halkida National Guitar Competition’.
In 2003 1st prize in the ‘Veria National Guitar Competition’.
In 2003 1st prize in the ‘Volos International Guitar Competition’.
In 2005 1st prize in the ‘Ivor Mairants Guitar Award’ - London.
In 2008 ‘Special Prize’ and ‘Audience Prize’ in Eduard Pamfil Guitar Competition –Bucharest 2008
In 2008 ‘Recommended Artist status prize’ of ‘Philip & Dorothy Green’ Award - London
In 2008 3rd Prize in the 'Sinaia International Guitar Competition' in Romania
Dimitris has played in masterclasses with George Hatzinikos, David Russell, Hubert Käppel, Carlos Marchione and Carlos Domeniconi. He has also played in workshops with John Williams, Sir Richard Rodney Bennett and Sir Peter Maxwell Davies.
He currently lives in London and teaches the guitar at Heathside Preparatory School in Hampstead. Dimitris plays with a ‘G. Smallman’ guitar on loan from the Royal Academy.
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