Michel Dalle Ave is a French guitarist and composer, born in Agen in 1958.

His musical journey began in 1973, at the age of 15, when he discovered the guitar as a self-taught musician, fascinated by the expressive freedom of folk music.

Very quickly, he developed a personal style shaped by a wide range of influences: jazz, blues, classical and contemporary music, as well as South American and Celtic traditions. These influences have contributed to an expressive and sensitive musical language that is both accessible and sophisticated.

Based in south-western France, he has built a distinctive career combining live performance, composition and recording. He began performing in concert in the 2000s, both as a solo artist and in various formations — guitar and drums duos, accompanying singers, and guitar ensembles. He is regularly invited to international festivals and masterclasses, and his works are now part of the  repertoire of many performers.

His music, characterised by the clarity of its melodic lines and particular attention to harmony and natural rhythmic flow, has been published since 2009 by Les Productions d’Oz in Quebec. This publishing partnership has resulted in a collection of more than fifty original works for guitar, a body of work recognised for its stylistic diversity and musicality, and now performed in many countries. Each year, several of his compositions are also selected as required pieces in international competitions, demonstrating their educational and artistic value.

In 2024, this body of work was celebrated with the publication of Anthology Volume 1, which brings together the main characteristics of his musical writing. His albums are conceived as a sonic showcase for this published repertoire. Chez moi (2022), Mariesland (2024), Mes Ballades (2025) and Lakes Road (2026), produced by Doberman Musique and distributed by Believe, allow listeners to discover his compositions in performed versions.

These recordings reflect his intimate musical world, combining lyrical ballads, poetic miniatures, fingerstyle pieces and more narrative forms. All the pieces he records are published in Canada by Les Productions d’Oz, the world’s leading publisher of guitar sheet music. Many professional artists now perform his works, including Édith Pageaud, Éric Franceries, David Jacques, Alexandre Bernoud, François Sciortino, Christian Laborde (Martin Guitar), Blaise Laflamme, Guy-Jean Maggio, Laura Rouy, Alfonso Montes and many others. Their performances can be seen on Michel Dalle Ave’s official YouTube channel: Youtube - Michel Dalle Ave

Michel Dalle Ave is also Artistic Director and Programming Director of the Festival International de Guitare de Luchon (FIGL), where he contributes to the development and promotion of the guitar through a programme bringing together artists, concerts and projects centred around the instrument.

Through the FIGL and GCL’Actu, the Facebook group he created and has independently administered since 2015, he pursues the same objective: to keep the guitar alive, showcase artists and their works, and build bridges between different generations and musical sensibilities among guitarists.

Official website: www.dalleave.com