Hailed by NBC News for making “the guitar sing like it was invented only to be in his hands,” Tye Austin is an American virtuoso guitarist, composer, and cultural ambassador who is committed to making classical guitar music more accessible to mainstream audiences of all ages and nationalities. Lauded by CBS News as “one of the best classical guitarists in the world,” Austin has appeared as a soloist at some of the most prestigious venues, including Carnegie Hall in New York City, London’s Royal Albert Hall, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and numerous international concert series, music festivals, and guitar societies world-wide. In 2017, he was invited to perform for more than 300 world leaders during an event dedicated to the eradication of global poverty hosted at the United Nations Headquarters in Manhattan. The following year, he performed a private concert for the former Prime Minister of Australia and delegates in the penthouse suite of Trump World Tower overlooking the United Nations Plaza.

In 2019, Austin relocated to Shanghai, China for a music performance and education residency at the iSchool of Music, engaging new audiences through both concert performance and pedagogy. In 2020, he was appointed Principal Classical Guitarist for Royal Caribbean International Cruise Lines, further solidifying his international profile as a performer of exceptional refinement and versatility.

Descending from notorious Franco-Spanish pirates of the Caribbean, Austin brings a deeply personal authenticity to guitar repertoire rooted in Spain, France, the Caribbean islands, and the Americas. His programs span an expansive stylistic range, encompassing classical masterworks alongside flamenco, fado, chanson, samba, bossa nova, tango, choro, jazz, and more. A gifted vocalist, he sings fluently in English, Spanish, French, Italian, and Portuguese, lending linguistic and cultural nuance to his performances. In addition to his solo career, Austin frequently collaborates with string quartets, chamber ensembles, and orchestras throughout the United States.

As a composer and arranger, Austin is devoted to the continued development of the classical guitar repertoire. He has received multiple commissions, including a 2017 commission to arrange and perform French Renaissance music for guitar and string quartet at the premiere celebration of Netflix’s original series Versailles, hosted by the French Embassy of the United States. In 2019, he was named by Classical Guitar Magazine as one of the Top 10 composers worldwide for classical guitar chamber music. At the core of his compositional voice lies a singular aim: to glorify God and to reawaken the wildness of the human soul.

Austin’s musical journey began in 2007, following his first encounter with a Spanish guitar recital—a moment he describes as profoundly transformative. “I witnessed one guitarist play as if four more guitarists were playing with him simultaneously,” he recalls. “In that instant, I discovered my passion, my purpose, and my lifelong companion.” After purchasing his first guitar from a pawn shop, he devoted himself wholly to mastering the instrument. Often described as an antihero within classical music, Austin seeks to reclaim and repurpose the art form for everyone to enjoy regardless of their cultural or socioeconomic background.

He holds a Master of Music degree in Classical Guitar Performance from the New England Conservatory, where he studied under Eliot Fisk. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts (summa cum laude) in Classical Guitar Performance and Music Composition from the Oregon Center for the Arts at Southern Oregon University, studying with James Edwards and Mark Jacobs. His artistic development has been further shaped through masterclasses and private lessons with Grammy-winners Sharon Isbin, Jason Vieaux, Scott Tennant, and many other distinguished pedagogues. In 2015, Tye also studied flamenco guitar performance during a summer abroad program at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Granada, Spain with David Martínez.

Austin is currently preparing his debut album, Iberia: Spanish Guitar Music, to be recorded at Pyrophorus Studios in Barcelona in the Fall of 2026. The album serves as a musical homage to his Spanish ancestry and solo pilgrimage across Spain in 2015. He is also the Founder & Artistic Director of Wilder Frets: Classical Guitar in the Wilderness, a nonprofit concert series that reimagines the classical concert experience by replacing the traditional concert hall with wilderness landscapes across the Pacific Northwest.

Based in Hillsboro, Oregon, Austin maintains a private teaching studio nestled in the Noble Woods, where he mentors the next generation of guitarists. Beyond music, his life is deeply entwined with the natural world; he is an avid snowboarder, surfer, fly fisherman, forager, and outdoorsman who can often be found unwinding at natural hot springs across Oregon.

Tye Austin performs on a custom 2024 Maxwell T. Sipe guitar, crafted exclusively from Oregon-harvested tonewoods. He is proudly sponsored by Savage Classical Guitar Strings, Sagework Guitar Supports, and Sipe Guitars.

For concert bookings, luxury event entertainment, private instruction, or information regarding tax-deductible contributions to Wilder Frets, please contact info@tyeaustin.com