
Photo: Erling Mandelmann / CC BY-SA 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Andrés Segovia, born on February 21, 1893 in Linares, Jaén Province, Spain, was a music educator, composer and classical guitarist. Andrés Segovia died on June 2, 1987 at the age of 94. Listed accolades include Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic, Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (1986), Léonie Sonning Music Prize (1974) and 5 more.
My Take
Segovia is the rare musician who did not just master an instrument but redefined its destiny. Before him, the classical guitar lived in salons; he carried it onto the concert stage and made the world take it seriously. The fact that nearly every serious classical guitarist today traces a lineage back to him says everything. I admire his transcriptions of Bach as much as his playing, because they were acts of advocacy for the instrument itself. Living to ninety-four, decorated with honorary doctorates and a Grammy for lifetime achievement, he spent a century proving six strings could speak with orchestral depth.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Andrés Segovia
- Name (Japanese)
- アンドレス・セゴビア
- Reading
- あんどれす・せごびあ
- Born
- February 21, 1893 – June 2, 1987
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Pisces / Snake
- Origin
- Linares, Jaén Province, Spain
- Occupation
- music educator / composer / classical guitarist / teacher / musician
2. Background
Awards & achievements
- Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic
- 1986 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
- 1974 Léonie Sonning Music Prize
- 1986 Royal Philharmonic Society Gold Medal
- Dearest Son of Andalusia
- 1987 honorary doctor of the University of Madrid Complutense
- honorary doctorate of the University of Cadiz
- honorary doctorate of the University of Santiago de Compostela
3. Links
4. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Andrés Segovia born?
Born February 21, 1893.
When did Andrés Segovia die?
Died June 2, 1987, aged 94.
Where was Andrés Segovia from?
Andrés Segovia was from Linares, Jaén Province, Spain.
What did Andrés Segovia do?
Andrés Segovia worked as music educator, composer, classical guitarist, teacher, musician.
Music educator — see all → · Composer — see all → · More people from Spain →