Guitarist/Composer Michael DeLalla
Michael DeLalla 'Joropo' for classical guitar, concert video
'Merrily Kiss'd the Quaker' concert video
'Infinite Loops: See Loops, Infinite'
'Variations on Sakura' for classical guitar
'At Water's Edge'
'The Seisiun Set', trad. Irish arr. for guitar
Video for 'Nocturnal Scenes 'Round About Midnight'
Overview
"One of the very best acoustic guitarists in the world....music of the most exquisite order." Matt Fink, All Music Guide
Guitarist and composer Michael DeLalla's music is a delicious brew of traditional influences and classical, jazz, Celtic, World Music and folk stylings. A trained classical guitarist, he can bring a wide-reaching repertoire to any occasion, drawing on traditions worldwide. Weddings, corporate events and concert series are a specialty. Michael's longstanding reputation is built on his ability to communicate with first the client to establish the precise needs of the performance, then the audience with his solid and professional presentation.
Reviews
43 reviews
Liz N.
June 7, 2026Beautiful music/perfect atmosphere
Mr. DeFalla provided the perfect atmosphere for our daughter’s wedding reception. His playing was beautiful and set the right vibe for the occasion. He was terrific to work with and our communication ahead of time was great. I highly recommend Michael. Thank you for adding so much to our event!
Hired as: Guitarist
Guitarist/Composer Michael DeLalla
Thanks, Liz--you folks were a wonderful group to play for. Thanks for having me.
Michael
Kathleen M.
May 2, 2026World Class
Wonderful performance, thoroughly enjoyed by 80 international women at the Denver Country Club. And everyone really loved meeting Michael, such a world-wise individual.
Hired as: Classical Guitarist
Guitarist/Composer Michael DeLalla
What a special event this was--so many different cultures and backgrounds represented by this engaged and engaging audience. Thank you for having me perform; I hope we can make another event happen in the future.
Sandra P.
March 2, 2026Michael was fantastic!!
Michael DeLalla provided a 3-hour classical guitar performance for my husband's 70th birthday party. He is a fantastic guitarist with man y of our guests complementing us on his music. He arrived on-time for setting up and provided his own speaker, which worked really well for the restaurant setting. I give him 5 out of 5 stars and 100% recommend him.
Hired as: Classical Guitarist
Guitarist/Composer Michael DeLalla
Thanks so much, Sandy--what a pleasure to perform for you, Mike and your guests. Call me anytime.
Jerry R.
November 17, 2025A Perfect Portugal evening
Michael was on time. Was friendly and engaging and my guests loved the live music. Michael’s playing guitar made my event that much more special.
Hired as: Classical Guitarist
Guitarist/Composer Michael DeLalla
Thank you for having me, Jerry--what a lovely gathering you put together. And the pastel de nata brought me right back to Porto. Obrigado.
Pamela H. W.
November 9, 2025Perfect and Lovely
We had a small group in a tight room. Michael’s adjusted his music to fit the event. At times it was calm background music and other times we were singing and clapping, and he music and voice was always great!
Hired as: Celtic Music, Guitarist, Irish / Scottish Entertainment, Singing Guitarist
Guitarist/Composer Michael DeLalla
Thanks, Pam. What a lovely event you put together, with a wonderful group to celebrate the special day.
Booking information
Price range: $150.00 and up
Languages: English, French, Italian
Gig length: 30 - 240 minutes
What to expect
For Concerts: "My concerts are a family friendly, multi-cultural fingerstyle guitar presentation. I tend to engage my audiences on a very conversational and participatory level; I characterize one of my performances as a “journey” we take together).
For Weddings and Private Events: I have countless testimonials that speak to the ease with which work with clients. My goal is always your satisfaction, both as we plan the music and my professionalism the day of the event.
For Corporate Events: My specialty is providing a diverse, multi-cultural program.
For Libraries, School and Educational Institutions: I've taught lessons, classes and workshops at every level. Teaching and sharing my musical experiences is a passion.
Music Licensing: As a producer since 1991 I can easily adapt tracks to your needs. All of my original compositions are available for licensing; I can provide you with any format you need.
About
Michael has been a performing and recording artist for over 30 years. For 20 years he was a member of the guitar faculty at Shenandoah University in Virginia before relocating in the Boulder area. His compositions and arrangements are as vital a part of his reputation as his repertoire for the classical guitar, drawing on traditions worldside. His music has been licensed for film and television, but his passion is live performance. He tours nationally, so no gig is too far off the beaten path. Michael also works with a number of other musicians, guitarists and other instrumentalists/vocalists, if you prefer a duo or trio configuration. The FAZ below will answer most questions, but feel free to contact him if you have even more specialized music needs.
FAQ about Michael DeLalla
“I see you tour nationally—do you even consider small intimate affairs, like a backyard wedding?”
MD: I most certainly do—in fact, I bring the same warm, engaging performance to your event that I do to the concert stage. We just need to coordinate our calendars.
“We're a multi-national corporation that hosts an annual party for our international contingent. What could you do for our event?”
MD: I have spent a professional lifetime exploring musical traditions found all over the world. With my compositions and arrangements for solo guitar (and voice, if you like—I also sing, in a few languages) you could expect to hear evocations of Japanese Koto to Celtic fiddle tunes to a Shona song for mbira to American jazz standards to ancient Breton songs to a homage to the middle-Eastern o'ud.
“Could you bring a group?”
MD: Depending on availability I have a large number of musical colleagues from whom I could put together a duo, trio or more.
"Do you take requests?"
I pride myself on constantly expanding my repertoire--that's often accomplished by the client requesting their special music. I'm happy to accommodate those requests.
"Michael DeLalla's finger-style guitar genius is akin to that of Tony McManus … of a class of what I call the Unholy Triumvirate of the American Acoustic Guitar: David Bromberg, John Fahey, and Leo Kottke…a guitar guru…"
The Greenman Review
Additional booking notes
All of my instruments are wired for interfacing with sound systems. For most events I can provide all of the necessary sound; access to electricity within 150 ft is needed. If I need to interface with a sound system, the following information may be useful:
I usually travel with two guitars.
Typically, I need 2 Direct Inputs, 1 vocal mic (if singing).
1 armless chair--standard folding chair is fine.
Upcoming booked events
June 2026
25
Thursday
Corporate Event
5:00pm - 7:00pm
•
Englewood, CO
Past booked events
June 2026
06
Saturday
Wedding Reception
5:00pm - 7:00pm
•
Loveland, CO
May 2026
28
Thursday
Fundraiser
6:00pm - 8:30pm
•
Lakewood, CO
01
Friday
Nonprofit Event
11:30am - 12:15pm
•
Denver, CO
March 2026
17
Tuesday
Holiday Party
2:00pm - 3:00pm
•
Fort Collins, CO
13
Friday
Retirement Community Event
12:30pm - 1:30pm
•
Lafayette, CO
February 2026
28
Saturday
Birthday Party
4:00pm - 6:30pm
•
Greenwood Village, CO
November 2025
16
Sunday
House Party
4:00pm - 5:00pm
•
Fort Collins, CO
08
Saturday
Birthday Party
6:00pm - 7:30pm
•
Colorado Springs, CO
October 2025
25
Saturday
House Concert
7:00pm - 8:30pm
•
Colorado Springs, CO
June 2025
27
Friday
Wedding Ceremony
11:00am - 1:00pm
•
Dillon, CO
21
Saturday
Personal Occasion
7:00pm - 7:30pm
•
Boulder, CO
20
Friday
Personal Occasion
1:00pm - 2:00pm
•
Longmont, CO
May 2025
10
Saturday
Wedding Reception
4:30pm - 6:30pm
•
Littleton, CO
March 2025
14
Friday
Retirement Community Event
12:30pm - 1:30pm
•
Lafayette, CO
October 2024
29
Tuesday
Festival
6:00pm - 8:00pm
•
Loveland, CO
26
Saturday
Wedding Reception
6:00pm - 8:00pm
•
Denver, CO
September 2024
19
Thursday
Nonprofit Event
3:30pm - 7:00pm
•
Boulder, CO
13
Friday
Rehearsal Dinner
6:00pm - 8:00pm
•
Estes Park, CO
07
Saturday
Grand Opening
12:00pm - 4:00pm
•
Longmont, CO
June 2024
13
Thursday
Nonprofit Event
3:30pm - 7:00pm
•
Boulder, CO
March 2024
17
Sunday
Dinner Party
5:00pm - 8:00pm
•
Aurora, CO
16
Saturday
Cocktail Party
6:00pm - 9:00pm
•
Denver, CO
15
Friday
Retirement Community Event
12:30pm - 1:15pm
•
Lafayette, CO
October 2023
15
Sunday
Wedding Ceremony
5:00pm - 6:00pm
•
Littleton, CO
September 2023
30
Saturday
Wedding Reception
3:00pm - 12:00am (Sun)
•
Golden, CO
17
Sunday
Nonprofit Event
11:00am - 1:30pm
•
Loveland, CO
August 2023
26
Saturday
Personal Occasion
7:00pm - 8:00pm
•
Johnstown, CO
June 2023
16
Friday
Cocktail Party
6:00pm - 9:00pm
•
Fort Collins, CO
14
Wednesday
Surprise
3:00pm - 4:00pm
•
Aurora, CO
May 2023
12
Friday
Cocktail Party
7:00pm - 10:30pm
•
Boulder, CO
March 2023
17
Friday
House Party
5:00pm - 6:00pm
•
Wheat Ridge, CO
11
Saturday
Dinner Party
6:00pm - 9:00pm
•
Fraser, CO
February 2023
25
Saturday
Funeral/Memorial Service
4:00pm - 5:00pm
•
Denver, CO
December 2022
16
Friday
Cocktail Party
3:00pm - 5:00pm
•
Greeley, CO
October 2022
12
Wednesday
Birthday Party
6:00pm - 8:00pm
•
Colorado Springs, CO
07
Friday
Wedding Ceremony
5:30pm - 6:30pm
•
Breckenridge, CO
02
Sunday
Fundraiser
4:00pm - 5:00pm
•
Longmont, CO
September 2022
20
Tuesday
Wedding Ceremony
3:30pm - 4:30pm
•
Longmont, CO
17
Saturday
Cocktail Party
5:00pm - 7:00pm
•
Lakewood, CO
August 2022
12
Friday
Wedding Ceremony
4:30pm - 6:30pm
•
Littleton, CO
June 2022
18
Saturday
Cocktail Party
6:00pm - 8:00pm
•
Denver, CO
17
Friday
Cocktail Party
3:00pm - 5:30pm
•
Aspen, CO
November 2021
13
Saturday
Funeral/Memorial Service
12:30pm - 2:30pm
•
Greeley, CO
September 2021
13
Monday
Nonprofit Event
12:00pm - 1:30pm
•
Colorado Springs, CO
August 2021
13
Friday
Rehearsal Dinner
7:00pm - 8:30pm
•
Grand Lake, CO
08
Sunday
Teen Birthday Party
11:30am - 1:30pm
•
Louisville, CO
July 2021
31
Saturday
Dinner Party
5:00pm - 7:00pm
•
Loveland, CO
April 2021
30
Friday
Corporate Event
6:00pm - 8:00pm
•
Colorado Springs, CO
March 2021
07
Sunday
Virtual Event
6:00pm - 6:15pm
•
St Johns, NL
September 2020
26
Saturday
Wedding Ceremony
1:30pm - 3:00pm
•
Breckenridge, CO
June 2020
30
Tuesday
Personal Occasion
9:30am - 11:00am
•
Denver, CO
May 2020
29
Friday
Dinner Party
6:00pm - 9:00pm
•
Denver, CO
December 2019
06
Friday
Corporate Event
6:00pm - 7:30pm
•
Colorado Springs, CO
October 2019
29
Tuesday
Wedding Reception
12:00pm - 2:00pm
•
Longmont, CO
12
Saturday
Funeral/Memorial Service
12:00pm - 3:30pm
•
Aurora, CO
September 2019
07
Saturday
Wedding Ceremony
2:00pm - 3:30pm
•
Dillon, CO
07
Saturday
Funeral/Memorial Service
9:30am - 11:30am
•
Colorado Springs, CO
August 2019
23
Friday
Cultural Event
6:00pm - 8:00pm
•
Thornton, CO
20
Tuesday
Corporate Event
7:00pm - 10:00pm
•
Denver, CO
March 2019
23
Saturday
Cocktail Party
7:30pm - 10:00pm
•
Longmont, CO
October 2018
07
Sunday
Wedding Ceremony
2:30pm - 4:00pm
•
Estes Park, CO
August 2018
24
Friday
Wedding Ceremony
3:30pm - 4:30pm
•
Littleton, CO
March 2018
17
Saturday
Holiday Party
1:00pm - 4:00pm
•
Louisville, CO
January 2018
26
Friday
Corporate Event
5:30pm - 9:00pm
•
Westminster, CO
24
Wednesday
Funeral/Memorial Service
2:00pm - 3:30pm
•
Denver, CO
May 2017
27
Saturday
Wedding Ceremony
9:30am - 11:00am
•
Colorado Springs, CO
December 2016
15
Thursday
Holiday Party (Christmas)
5:00pm - 8:00pm
•
Denver, CO
May 2016
22
Sunday
Funeral/Memorial Service
11:00am - 2:00pm
•
Evergreen, CO
March 2016
09
Wednesday
Nonprofit Event
12:00pm - 1:30pm
•
Wheat Ridge, CO
February 2016
19
Friday
Fundraiser
6:30pm - 8:00pm
•
Brighton, CO
November 2015
14
Saturday
Wedding Ceremony
3:00pm - 5:30pm
•
Denver, CO
September 2015
18
Friday
Wedding Reception
7:00pm - 11:00pm
•
Santa Fe, NM
06
Sunday
Wedding Ceremony
5:00pm - 5:30pm
•
Silverthorne, CO
01
Tuesday
Cultural Event
6:00pm - 9:00pm
•
Denver, CO
June 2015
05
Friday
Funeral/Memorial Service
12:00pm - 1:30pm
•
Boulder, CO
May 2015
31
Sunday
House Party
11:00am - 2:00pm
•
Fort Collins, CO
Set list
Includes repertoire for solo classical guitar, steel-string guitar and vocals
Andante - Matteo Carcassi
Jesu Joy of Man's Desire - JS Bach
Prelude from Cello Suite 1 - JS Bach
Joropo - Luis Merlin
Fantasia - Alonso Mudarra
Guardame Las Vacas - Luis de Narvaez
Greensleeves - Traditional Renaissance
Canon in D - Pachalbel
Somewhere Over the Rainbow/Wonderful World - arr by Izzy
Le Marchais du Malaucene - Michael DeLalla
Infinite Loops: See Loops, Infinite - Michael DeLalla
Lauren Grace - Michael DeLalla
Arise - Michael DeLalla
At Water's Edge - Michael DeLalla
Black Orpheus - Luis Bonfa
Round Midnight - Thelonius Monk
Auld Lang Syne - Traditional
Ding!Dong!Merrily On High - Traditional
Christmas Day in the Morning - Traditional
Veni Emmanuel - Traditional
We 3 Kings - Traditional
O Come All Ye Faithful - Traditional
Winter Wonderland - Traditional
Merrily Kissed the Quaker - Traditional Celtic
Shebag and Shemore - Traditional Celtic
My Dearest Dear - Traditional Celtic
Danny Boy - Traditional Celtic
Wedding Song - Paul Stookey
Rocky Mountain High - John Denver
Annie's Song - John Denver
Rings - Leo Kottke
Fisherman's Blues - Waterboys
Because the Night - Patti Smith
Our Song - Joe Henry
You're not Alone - Mavis Staples
I'll Never Give It Up - Richard Thompson
Vincent Black Lightning - Richard Thompson
In My Life - Lennon & McCartney
When I'm 64 - Lennon & McCartney
Hallelujah - Leonard Cohen
Hero - Oliver Mtuzukundi
Linus & Lucy from a Charlie Brown Xmas - Vince Guaraldi
Summertime - George Gershwin
And countless more - by countless others
Influences and inspiration
Guitarists: Pierre Bensusan, Sharon Isbin, Baden Powell, Andrew York, Ralph Towner, Roland Dyens
Jazz artists: Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett, Paul Winter
Composers: JS Bach, Benjamin Britten, Thelonius Monk, Hamza el Din,
Traditional music: music from Ireland, Scotland, British Isles; South American styles such as Bossa Nova, Tango, Choro; African traditions from Ghana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Morocco; Koto music from Japan; Native American traditions.
Setup requirements
1 armless chair (standard folding chair is fine)
If PA is needed, access to electricity (within 150 ft)
If outdoors, overhead shelter from sun/rain