A finalist and semi-finalist in several international guitar competitions, most notably, the 2002 Music Teachers National Association Solo Competition and the 1994 National Solo Competition of the American String Teachers Association in Cincinnati, Ohio, David Solis Olson is considered to be among the finest classical guitarists of his generation. Mr. Olson has appeared as solo and chamber recitalist in concerts and festivals throughout the United States and in Canada, France and Germany. He has performed at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City and in Eastman Theater in Rochester, New York.

Mr. Olson began guitar study at age twelve and has been the recipient of numerous scholarships and accolades. These include: the Performer’s Certificate and the George Eastman Merit Scholarship from the Eastman School of Music; the John G. Welch Scholarship for demonstration of “unusual talent and self-discipline” and the Chancellor’s Award of Excellence from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem.

Mr. Olson has performed in masterclasses for such classical guitar luminaries as Roland Dyens, Angel Romero, Manuel Barrueco and David Russell and his primary teachers include Nicholas Goluses, Ricardo Cobo and James Ryan. As an advocate for innovative and diverse solo and ensemble programming for the classical guitar, Mr. Olson’s recitals feature repertoire ranging in style and character from Bach lute works to Argentinean tangos. Past recitals have included Lou Harrison’s “Serenade” for guitar and percussion and Mr. Olson’s own transcriptions of Chick Corea’s “Children’s Songs” for solo piano. Mr. Olson has opened for rock guitarist Steve Vai.

In late 2006, Mr. Olson self-produced and released his debut CD, entitled “Sketches of Latin America.” A colorful and varied collection of twentieth-century solo guitar works by Agustín Barrios, Leo Brouwer, Antonio Lauro, Astor Piazzolla and Manuel Ponce , “Sketches of Latin America” is distributed internationally through CD Baby and is available through Amazon.com and Apple’s iTunes, among other major online media outlets.

Mr. Olson currently resides in the Charlotte, North Carolina area, where he is adjunct faculty at Davidson College and maintains an active performing career as a free-lance musician, solo recitalist and chamber player.