Douglas Niedt, Classical Guitar

A St. Louis native, Douglas Niedt began his study of the guitar at the age of seven with his father, an amateur guitarist. Douglas’ interest in music was stimulated by his father’s encouragement to listen to and explore the entire spectrum of music. By the time he was fourteen, he had received first prize awards in national competitions sponsored by the American Guild of Music. He gained instant fame at age seventeen upon winning the Chet Atkins International Guitar Competition in which three hundred guitarists were entered from around the world. He subsequently studied at the Juilliard School, the Segovia Master Classes in Spain, and with guitar masters Pepe Romero, Narciso Yepes, Christopher Parkening, Jorge Morel, and Oscar Ghiglia. His unique programming includes music of American popular composers such as Duke Ellington, Richard Rodgers, George Gershwin, and Dave Brubeck. Mr. Niedt is Head of the guitar program of the Conservatory of Music and Dance, University of Missouri at Kansas City.