(TrioStretto: Jack Cimo, Albert Diaz, Iren Arutyunyan)
A finalist and Top Prizewinner in 2003, 2005, and 2006 WIAA/WMEA State Solo and Ensemble Contest, Mr. Diaz additionally won 1st prize in the Junior Division of the 2007 American String Teachers Association/Aaron Green Classical Guitar Competition. The following year he would place 1st in the Senior Division of the ASTA California state competition. In 2008 Albert was a finalist and top prizewinner in the 18th Annual Pacific Northwest Guitar Festival Competition. Diaz competed against over twenty of the finest guitarists from the Pacific Northwest and Canada and was the youngest finalist in the group. Mr. Diaz has taken private lessons and master classes with some of the most distinguished classical guitar personnel in the world including Pepe Romero, David Russell, Scott Tennant, Jason Vieaux, Martha Masters, Pavel Steidl & Aniello Desiderio, to name a few.
Albert Diaz began his musical studies in Bellingham, Washington studying viola with Betsy Stuen-Walker. Commencing his study of classical guitar studies with Ron Rondello, he would continue his studies with David Feingold Chair and Associate Professor of Music and Director of Guitar Studies at Western Washington University. Currently a student of William Kanengiser, solo artist and founding member of the Grammy award winning Los Angeles Guitar Quartet, Mr. Diaz is pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music.