Finesse • Passion • grace San Diego Music Hall of Fame inductee 2023
Classical, Flamenco, World, Popular & Original Music
About
Classical Guitar
"Vivaldi’s Concerto for Guitar in D Major, RV 93, was an excellent vehicle to display the accomplished classical guitar virtuoso Fred Benedetti. His judiciously chosen dynamic contrasts not only carried well in the 500-seat Baker-Baum Concert Hall, but his vibrant sound, his deftly articulated lines, and his mesmerizing solo cantilena in the middle movement captivated his listeners."
Ken Herman, San Diego Story -March 25, 2024
Fred Benedetti began studies of classical guitar at the age of 16 and by age 26 was one of 12 guitarists worldwide to perform in one of the last masterclasses of Maestro Andres Segovia. Fred has performed in the United States, England, Germany, the Czech Republic, Canada, Taiwan and Mexico and locally with the San Diego Symphony, the San Diego Opera, the Starlight Opera, the American Ballet Company, the Old Globe Theatre, Luciano Pavarotti, and jazz artist Dave Brubeck.
He is an emeritus professor of music at Grossmont College where was the head of the guitar studies program. He is also part of the guitar program at San Diego State University with colleagues Robert Wetzel and Sean Bassett. Fred is listed in the prestigious "Who's Who Among America's Teachers-2002" and received an "Most Influential Professor" in 2001 from SDSU, the "NISOD" Excellence in Teaching award from the University of Texas at Austin in 1992 and an "Outstanding Chair" award in 1990 from Grossmont College.. He has performed for dignitaries such as the King & Queen of Malaysia, Mikhail Gorbachev and Ravi Shankar.
Acoustic and Popular Style Guitar
Equally at home playing classical music or contemporary music, he records on the SBE label and Domo Records with six noted ensembles: Camarada (chamber ensemble), Hot Pstromi (a klezmer band) Keltik Kharma (a celtic band), The Odeum Guitar Duo, given the honor by the magazine, Acoustic Guitar, as being one of the ten best independently produced guitar CDs for the year 2000, "Blurring the Edges" a recipient of the 1994 San Diego Music Awards "Best Pop-Jazz" album of the year featuring jazz musicians Peter ,Tripp, and Hall Sprague, and the acclaimed Benedetti/Svoboda Guitar Duo.
As a BMI affiliated composer, Fred has written numerous contemporary pieces for the international CD library company Network Productions and as a studio musician for 35 years his playing is featured on over 100 CD's, numerous movie soundtracks, and TV commercials. He has shared the stage with Mason Williams, Eric Johnson, Doc Watson, Albert Lee, Doyle Dykes, Dan Crary, Art Garfunkel, Basia, Michael Franks, Mark O'Connor, Michael Hedges, and Ottmar Liebert, and has recorded with Willie Nelson, Juice Newton, Paul Overstreet, Patty Loveless, Tom Barabas, Big Mountain, Matthew Lien, Ronny Robbins and William Lee Golden. He has performed for dignitaries such as the King & Queen of Malaysia, Mikhail Gorbachev and Ravi Shankar.
Fred performs on guitars built by Miguel Rodriguez, Jose Ramirez, Simon Marty, James Goodall, Gioachino Giussani, Andy Powers, Bob Taylor, Peter Oberg and Len Laviolette.
