Alirio Diaz - Dos Valses Venezolanos

November 12/Alirio Diaz -- On this date in 1923, Venezuelan guitarist Alirio Diaz was born. Diaz began formal music studies in Caracas in 1945 and soon built a name for himself performing in military bands and dance orchestras which he used to pay for his courses. In 1950 the Venezuelan Ministry of Education granted him a fellowship to study in Europe and he completed four years of study under Maestro Andres Segovia, the preeminent guitarist of his generation. Segovia was so impressed with the young guitarist's technique he named Diaz as his professional substitute and Assistant Professor. Diaz went on to perform in concert halls around the world and has long been considered one of the great guitarists of our time. The Venezuelan composer Antonio Lauro was a contemporary of Diaz's who was well known for his guitar compositions. Diaz recorded Lauro's composition Dos Valses Venezolanos, a pair of very difficult waltzes, in 1993 at the age of seventy and his dexterity and alacrity had never been more stunning.