Biography
Mario Díaz is a multi-instrumentalist (plucked strings/voice) whose musical activities have taken him across the U.S. and South America. He serves on the faculties of Portland State University, Willamette University and Reed College in addition to being Director of the PSU Guitar Series for which he received the PSU Foundation Philanthropic Cultivation Award in 2020. He directs the guitar program at Oregon’s longest standing summer music program, Young Musicians & Artists. Mario also maintains a private teaching studio in Portland and serves as a clinician and adjudicator across the region.
Díaz’s work as a soloist and collaborator crosses over into a wide range of styles and traditions. He has toured, recorded and/or performed as a sideman with Antonio Rey, Dave Eggar, Martin Zarzar, Portland Opera, Third Angle New Music, 45th Parallel, Fear No Music, the Oregon Guitar Quartet, Oregon Catholic Press, Pink Martini, the Von Trapps, among others. During his time at Allegro Media Group, Mario engineered and mastered over 300 recordings for their proprietary record label.
Mario holds a Bachelor’s degree in music and a professional studies certificate in recording arts and music production from Portland State University, and a master’s degree in classical guitar performance from San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where he studied with composer/guitarist Sergio Assad.