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BIO.

Steven Jay Lerman is an award-winning classical guitarist celebrated for his powerful tone, expressive performances, and musical sensitivity. Originally from San Diego, California, Steven began studying classical guitar at the relatively late age of 15. Despite his late start, his talent and dedication quickly became evident, earning him a full-tuition scholarship to the University of Arizona—home to one of the top classical guitar programs in the United States. While there, Steven studied under world-class performers, including Grammy Award-winning artists David Russell and the Assad Brothers, as well as Guitar Foundation of America Competition winner, Thomas Viloteau.

In 2013, Steven was awarded a graduate teaching position at Florida State University, where he studied with Bruce Holzman, a celebrated American guitar pedagogue and Guitar Foundation of America Hall of Fame inductee. Steven completed his master’s degree at Florida State before returning to the University of Arizona to pursue a doctoral degree. He earned his Doctor of Musical Arts in 2019, completing innovative research and transcriptions of 18th-century Spanish keyboard music.

Steven has won prizes in 25 internationally competitive guitar competitions – including 10 first-prizes. Recently, Steven won first prize in several of the most important competitions in North America, including the Denver International Guitar Competition, Indiana International Guitar Competition, Wilson Center International Guitar Competition, Classical Minds International Guitar Competition, and San Francisco Bay International Guitar Competition. In 2018, Steven was selected as one of just a few guitarists to have been named a winner of the Frances Walton Competition in Seattle, a competition open to all classical instruments. Since being selected for the Promising Artists of the 21st Century Tour in 2014, Steven has taught, performed, and made radio appearances across the U.S., and in Mexico, Canada, Costa Rica, and France.

Beyond his performance career, Steven is a passionate educator whose students have achieved remarkable success. His teaching has guided students to acceptance at leading universities, graduate teaching positions, and victories in major competitions. Currently, Steven is a member of the music faculty at Pima College in Arizona, which houses one of the largest classical guitar departments in the nation. He has also brought music education to underprivileged communities, teaching at nearly two dozen public schools across Arizona through outreach programs.

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