Iranian-born guitarist Lily Afshar, hailed by the Washington Post as "remarkable, impeccable," is head of the guitar program at the University of Memphis. Chosen as "Artistic Ambassador" for the United States Information Agency to Africa, she is the winner of the Tenth, Eleventh, and the Twelfth Annual "Premier Guitarist" awards given by the Memphis Chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, Inc.
Winner of the Tennessee Arts Commission "Individual Artist Fellowship" Award in music and a National Endowment for the Arts Recording Award, Ms. Afshar was also a top prize winner in the Guitar Foundation of America competition, grand prize winner in the Aspen Music Festival guitar competition, first prize winner in both the Music Teachers' National Association and the American String Teachers' Association guitar competitions.
Lily Afshar was among the twelve international guitarists selected to play for Maestro Andres Segovia in his master classes held at the University of Southern California, at which time Maestro Segovia predicted that "she will be a beautiful celebrity."
