Roland Schlieder

Roland Schlieder is a German guitarist and conductor who has gained recognition through his international performances and pedagogical contributions. Born on December 21, 1969, in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, he was raised by his German grandfather in Hanover. His musical journey began at the age of 14 when he taught himself to play the guitar, inspired by recordings of Narciso Yepes and Pepe Romero.

After completing his formal education, Schlieder initially studied mechanical engineering with distinction and later pursued business administration in Munich. A pivotal experience in 1995, when he personally met maestros Leo Brouwer and David Russell, led him to rethink his career path and dedicate himself to classical guitar. This decision took him to the United States, where he received a scholarship at Butler University in Indianapolis. There, he studied guitar with Brett Terrell, choral conducting with Dr. Eric Stark, and orchestral conducting with Stanley DeRusha. At the same time, he took lessons from Maestro Petar Jankovic at Indiana University. He earned his master’s degree at San Diego State University under the guidance of Celin Romero, a member of the renowned guitar family "Los Romeros."

In 2003, Schlieder returned to his birthplace, Santa Cruz, to establish the city’s first symphony orchestra. As artistic director and chief conductor, he led the orchestra for over a decade. Alongside his work as a conductor, he performed worldwide as a soloist and placed a special emphasis on developing technical studies for the guitar. His work Control Technique – Hand Mechanics presents a fresh and detailed approach to guitar training.