Sam Desmet

Belgian guitarist Sam Desmet earned a reputation in the late 2000s for performing and recording works by both established and contemporary composers such as <a href="spotify:artist:69lxxQvsfAIoQbB20bEPFC" data-name="Philip Glass">Philip Glass</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:6rV6TkdT06DiCZpRSmP1xf" data-name="Eduardo Martín">Eduardo Martín</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:0lYisO0IiXHmnPkkx241VO" data-name="Richard Charlton">Richard Charlton</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:3BSSiIt3AzsoKeG6h4YNqJ" data-name="Javier Contreras">Javier Contreras</a>. He often collaborates across art forms—dance, film, painting, architecture, and poetry—bringing new dimensions to classical performance.

Recently, he premiered the Concerto for Guitar and Small Orchestra by Belgian composer <a href="spotify:artist:7EOODWRKoeplss37m8xJsO" data-name="Jean Absil">Jean Absil</a>, performing as a soloist with <a href="spotify:artist:1zaQaroImw6M40TWqKZvCa" data-name="Casco Phil">Casco Phil</a> under conductor <a href="spotify:artist:08jsMIZcGGPC5Q20fY13Li" data-name="Benjamin Haemhouts">Benjamin Haemhouts</a>.

He is currently developing <a href="spotify:playlist:4IVMFguUJnOzV9r5DIurjI" data-name="Carcassi - Reimagined">Carcassi - Reimagined</a>, a duo project with guitarist/composer <a href="spotify:artist:0f42TOdgjWOwAyWcTJBNLL" data-name="Troy Gifford">Troy Gifford</a> that reimagines <a href="spotify:artist:0nKUfjTYVwxM6hZrvKhlNU" data-name="Matteo Carcassi">Matteo Carcassi</a>&#39;s 25 Études Op. 60 as expressive and idiomatic guitar duets.

Sam also leads the award-winning <a href="spotify:playlist:70t04DTkSglX0giGXRp3n1" data-name="Unity in Diversity - Harmony of Cultures">Unity in Diversity - Harmony of Cultures</a> project, featuring global folk songs arranged by composers of matching nationality, with original cover art by visual artists from the same cultures—fusing tradition with creative reinterpretation.

A graduate of the Royal Conservatory of Ghent under <a href="spotify:artist:16p0IqwGsPmZuuUtfe3XHZ" data-name="Yves Storms">Yves Storms</a>, he has worked with <a href="spotify:artist:4PdumqEAuo2EQzukVWnxa0" data-name="Leo Brouwer">Leo Brouwer</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:6d4VElnjMZSpCblefzliZs" data-name="Angelo Gilardino">Angelo Gilardino</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:3yqlsR9BKqRlF83hlmJBL7" data-name="Simone Iannarelli">Simone Iannarelli</a>, recording their music on <a href="spotify:album:4laadSggIlxwhmlCo39leh" data-name="Study Study">Study Study</a>. Based in the U.S., he performs internationally and collaborates in chamber settings with artists like <a href="spotify:artist:4SoRek2FECACQBVjfhZ3sQ" data-name="Pablo Briceño">Pablo Briceño</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:1qdodIw50t6dQaURO11VKS" data-name="Federico Bonacossa">Federico Bonacossa</a>.

His scores are published by Productions d’Oz, Edizioni Berben/Curci, and via samdesmet.com.