About this Artist

Francisco Diaz was born in Barquisimeto, Lara State – Venezuela, he is a musician trained in the Youth and Children Orchestral movement, widely known as “El Sistema” under the ideals of maestro Jose Antonio Abreu, “To PLay and To Fight”. He studied violin with the renowned pedagogue, Jose Francisco del Castillo who follows the philosophy of the “Galamian School”, in the Simón Bolívar Conservatory, in the Latin-American Violin Academy, and in the “Reina Sofía” School of Music of Spain, with a scholarship from the Mozarteum Foundation of Venezuela. He has received direct guidance from famous international musicians, such as Margaret Pardee, Albert Markov, Oliver Charlier, Agustin Dumay, Agustín León Ara, Yossi Zivonni, José Luis García Asensio, Rubén González, among others. He has a doctorate in Science of Education (Music) from the Fermín Toro University of Barquisimeto, with a research focus on Social Action through Music. He also holds a Masters of Music in Violin from the Simón Bolívar University, as well as a degree in Music Education and Masters in Higher Education from the Universidad Experimental Libertador – Pedagogical Institute of Barquisimeto.

He has performed as a soloist with the most prominent orchestras in Venezuela, including the Simón Bolívar Orchestra, Maracaibo Symphony Orchestra, Lara Symphony Orchestra, Falcón Symphony Orchestra, Los Llanos Symphony Orchestra, Zulia, Symphony Orchestra, Merida Symphony Orchestra, among others. Internationally, He has participated in musical events in Canada, Portugal, Argentina, Uruguay, Puerto Rico, Italy, France, United States, Spain, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Mexico, Austria, among others. He has been the recipient of awards at the Fifth National Violin Competition “Juan Bautista Plaza” in 1987 in Caracas, and also at the National Violin Festival of Los Andes in 1997. He has developed a wide pedagogical expertise in his role as Director and Teacher of the Latin-American Violin Academy of Barquisimeto, part of “El Sistema”. Through this organization, he has launched important Violin Festivals, Professional Development Workshops, Master-classes, Violin Workshops, Seminars and Conferences in Venezuela and in many Latin-American countries.