Artist, musician, classical guitarist, arranger, music educator, and producer, Octávio Deluchi leads a range of prominent projects and initiatives in the cultural scene, with the concert guitar and Brazilian music at the core of his work. Born in São João del-Rei, Minas Gerais, he began his musical training in Prados, immersed in an environment deeply rooted in Brazilian cultural traditions. From his earliest artistic experiences, he cultivated a strong commitment to the local community, exploring Brazilian popular music, carnival percussion groups, music education projects, and rock bands, before establishing his career as a concert guitarist.
Based in New York City, Deluchi has been described as “a reality and a triumphant celebration of our instrument in the world” (Humberto Amorim), cited as “one of the greatest talents of Brazilian guitar today” (O Tempo), and recognized as “one of the most active and brilliant soloists of his generation” (Acervo Digital do Violão Brasileiro).
As a performer, he is known for his captivating and dynamic presence, both as a soloist and chamber musician, across multiple countries. His international breakthrough came with his solo debut at Carnegie Hall at the age of 24. Since then, he has won more than 15 national and international awards, including the IBLA Grand Prize, the Philadelphia International Music Festival Concerto Competition, as well as first prizes at the Souza Lima Guitar Competition, Charlottesville Guitar Competition, and Musicalis National Guitar Competition. He has collaborated with or premiered works by composers such as Sérgio Assad, Tania León, Vicente Paschoal, João Luiz, Luís Carlos Barbieri, Terrence Shepherd, Elodie Bouny, Geraldo Vespar, Megan Deslinger, and Mary Simmons. Notable works include Vicente Paschoal’s Sonata, dedicated to Deluchi, and the U.S. premiere of João Luiz’s guitar and orchestra concerto MadrigAfro.
He has performed in prestigious venues and series, including Dizzy’s Club at Lincoln Center, Composer’s Now, Americas Society/Council of the Americas, Instituto Guimarães Rosa (Santiago, Chile), BNDES, and Odeon Guitar Series in New York. As a chamber musician, he has shared stages and recordings with artists such as Eduardo Leandro, Arthur Haas, Emmanuele Baldini, São Paulo Chamber Soloists, René Izquierdo, Celil Refik Kaya, Guido Campos, Gabriele Leite, Weiting Sun, Duo Aduar, Rodrigo Frade, and Pedro Gadelha, continually expanding his artistic versatility.
In 2025, he returned to Carnegie Hall (for the Nuestros Sonidos series), in addition to performing at the Radford International Guitar Festival, Festival de Música de Prados, AV-Rio, and Adro Galeria, while also recording his concert Borogodó, scheduled for release later this year. In 2024, Deluchi launched the SERTÃO Americas platform, designed to address creative demands of various kinds and foster new dialogues in art, culture, and music. The initiative promotes innovative professional practices and facilitates an exchange of musical approaches between Brazil and the United States, encompassing artistic and educational programs as well as sheet music publications.
Active in several key artistic collectives, Deluchi was a founding member of AssoVio Vertentes, a guitar association responsible for dozens of recitals, festivals, workshops, concerts, and competitions in Minas Gerais between 2016 and 2019. He is also a coordinator of the BCGC – Brazilian Classical Guitar Community, alongside Gabriele Leite, Nicolas Porto Silva, and Camilla Silva, connecting over seventy guitarists and researchers worldwide through audiovisual projects celebrating Brazilian composers and their guitar repertoire. Currently, he serves as director of the Mostra de Violão da Lira Ceciliana, which will mark its sixth edition in 2026, with a focus on integrating young students, local professionals, and prominent guitar figures through accessible community-oriented programming. Since 2018, he has also been a professor, resident artist, and guest soloist at the Festival de Música de Prados, solidifying his role as an active contributor to the musical and cultural development of the region.
An experienced educator and pedagogue, Deluchi has been teaching music for thirteen years, continuously developing instrumental approaches and techniques that use the guitar as a tool to enhance musical learning. Since 2022, he has taught at EzraGuitar in Manhattan and Brooklyn, working on both audience development and the preparation of young students for professional environments. He also teaches undergraduate courses at Stony Brook University and served as assistant professor at Radford University in the United States from 2019 to 2021.
Deluchi’s artistic development was profoundly influenced by prominent guitarists and musicians, including Guilherme Vincens, João Luiz, Robert Trent, Paulo Martelli, Fábio Zanon, Vladmir Agostini, and Ian Guest. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the Universidade Federal de São João del-Rei (UFSJ), a master’s degree from Radford University (RU), Virginia, and is currently pursuing a doctorate at Stony Brook University, United States.
Currently, Deluchi performs on Augustine Strings, as an Augustine Artist. He is also supported by CrossRock and plays a Frederico Hermann guitar (2025).
