He is a classical guitarist who started to learn the guitar when he was eight years old. He first studied in Buffalo, New York, with Jeremy Sparks and followed that by attending the Cleveland Institute of Music. Entering many competitions he won first prize in the Guitar Foundation of America International Competition and became the youngest to do so.
An international performer he has given concerts all over the world and in 1995 had the honour of being made an Artistic Ambassador of the United States to Southeast Asia.
He has made several solo recordings of composers and artists the include Pat Metheny and Isaac Albeniz and two CDs with the flautist Gary Schocker. In 2015 his solo album Play won a Grammy Award for Best Classical Instrumental Solo.
As a concert soloist he has performed with orchestras that include the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, Cleveland Orchestra, the Auckland Philharmonic and the Santa Fe Symphony.
As a teacher he co-founded the Curtis Institute of Music guitar department, regularly gives masterclasses and is Head of the Guitar Department at the Cleveland Institute of Music.
Isaac Albeniz recordings
Sevilla
AZICA 71224 (CD: Sevilla: The Music of Isaac Albeniz)
Guitar – Jason Vieux
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