In a recital in Rome, Diaz was sponsored by the poet and Venezuelan ambassador Alberto Arvelo Torrealba. He befriended Venezuelan authors Raul Borges, Vicente Emilio Sojo and Juan Bautista Plaza. A couple of years later Diaz became not only the disciple of the Segovia but also his assistant and substitute at the Chigiana Academy. In Siena, DГaz continued his studies with Andres Segovia at the Chigiana Academy of that city. Close friendly relations developed with intellectuals and musicians Piego Gerardo, Joaquin Rodrigo, Moreno Torroba, Garcia Nieto, Narciso Yepez, Emilio Pujol, Daniel Fortea, Eugenia Serrano, Federico Monpou, Xavier Montsalvage and Joaquin Achucarro. Studying here had an excellent effect on Diaz and he gave successful recitals in the most important centers of Spanish culture including Ateneo de Madrid, Teatro EspaГ±ol, Palau de la MГєsica in Barcelona, the Alhambra in Granada, Teatro Principal in Valencia. In November he attended the Conservatory of Music of Madrid, hosted by Regino Sainz de la Maza.

Soon after his arrival he was welcomed by a large group of representative figures of Venezuelan culture, and the Ministry of Education responded by approving a grant for Diaz. When the young Venezuelan musician concluded his studies, he traveled to Europe for a post-graduate degree. During the European winter, he used to return to Venezuela to his native town, La Candelaria. He taught in Rome and performed in concert with his son Senio. This was the first of many compositions subsequently dedicated to Alirio DГaz.ДЄlirio DГaz performed all over the world combining baroque music with the works of modern Latin American composers, such as Lauro, Sojo and Barrios MangorГ©. In turn, DГaz obliged and the next year performed this very difficult solo piece. In 1961, Spanish composer JoaquГn Rodrigo's piece InvocaciГіn y Danza, dedicated to Alirio DГaz, won the First Prize at the Coupe International de Guitare awarded by the Office de Radiodiffusion-TГ©lГ©vision FranГ§aise (ORTF). Three years later, he progressed to become the assistant and substitute to Segovia, and started performing in some of the most prestigious concert halls of Europe. There he impressed Segovia greatly with his flawless technique and extensive repertoire. In 1951 he went to Accademia Musicale Chigiana of Siena ( Italy), to study with AndrГ©s Segovia.

That same year he performed his first guitar concert in Europe. In 1950, the Venezuelan government awarded him a scholarship to continue his guitar studies in Madrid under Regino Sainz de la Maza. He also studied English before going to Caracas in 1945 to study the guitar at the Escuela Superior de Musica JosГ© ГЃngel Lamas under Raul Borges. He later went to Trujillo in the Venezuelan Andes and studied saxophone and clarinet under Laudelino MejГas while working as a typesetter in a newspaper. At age 16 he ran away from home to Carora, where he sought better schooling. From childhood he showed a great interest in music. The eighth of eleven children, DГaz was born in Caserio La Candelaria, a small village near Carora in western Venezuela.

Invocacion emilio pujol