Andrés Segovia | Classical Guitarist – Profile & Videos
Andrés Segovia Torres (21 February 1893 – 2 June 1987) was born in Linares, Jaén, Spain. Entirely self-taught — he never attended a conservatory — he developed a technique and tone that set the standard for classical guitar in the twentieth century. His Paris debut in 1924 introduced him to the European concert world; his New York debut in 1928 established him as a figure of international standing. Over a career that spanned more than seven decades, Segovia transformed the guitar from a salon curiosity into a respected instrument of the concert hall.
Segovia did not achieve this alone. He actively commissioned new works, persuaded composers who had never written for the guitar to take it seriously, and built a repertoire where almost none had existed. He also transcribed a large body of music — Bach, Handel, Scarlatti — for solo guitar, giving the instrument a historical depth it had previously lacked. For the complete story of his life and career, see the Andrés Segovia – Complete Biography →
Key Achievements
- Self-taught; built his technique entirely outside the conservatory system
- Paris debut 1924; New York debut 1928 — established the guitar on the international concert stage
- Commissioned major works from Federico Moreno Torroba, Manuel Ponce, Heitor Villa-Lobos and Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco
- Transcribed works by Bach, Handel and Scarlatti for solo guitar, creating a core of the classical guitar repertoire
- Career spanning more than seven decades, performing into his nineties
- Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, 1986
Guitars He Played
In 1937 Segovia received a guitar built by Hermann Hauser I — an instrument he described as "the greatest guitar of our epoch." This Hauser became his primary concert guitar for decades and remains one of the most celebrated luthier-player associations in the history of the instrument. From around 1969 he played a José Ramírez guitar, another name synonymous with the finest Spanish guitar making.
If you are interested in the makers who defined the concert guitar, browse our selection of classical guitars or explore instruments from Hermann Hauser I and José Ramírez.
His Most Famous Students
Segovia taught master classes throughout his career, and several of his students went on to become major figures in their own right:
- John Williams — studied with Segovia and became one of the most recorded classical guitarists of the twentieth century
- Oscar Ghiglia — Italian guitarist who carried Segovia's approach into his own international career and teaching
- Christopher Parkening — American guitarist widely regarded as among the finest of his generation
- Alirio Díaz — Venezuelan guitarist who brought the Segovia tradition to South American repertoire
To understand what Segovia's influence permanently changed, read Andrés Segovia – His Legacy & the Guitar Before and After →
