Ahmed Dickinson Cárdenas is a Cuban-born guitarist whose artistry moves fluidly between the musical cultures of Havana and the UK. Trained in Cuba’s rigorous conservatoire system, he studied at the Guillermo Tomás and Amadeo Roldán Conservatoires before completing his degree at the Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA) in Havana, where he studied with Jesús Ortega and Alejandro González and developed a musical outlook shaped by the close relationship between composer and performer.

Since relocating to London, Dickinson has built an international career shaped equally by British and European concert life. He pursued postgraduate studies at the Royal College of Music with Carlos Bonell and Chris Stell, and at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama with Robert Brightmore, refining an approach that blends the rhythmic vitality and lyricism of Cuban guitar music with the precision and clarity of the classical tradition.

A defining aspect of his work is his close collaboration with composers. In Cuba and internationally, he has worked extensively with figures such as Flores Chaviano, Walfrido Domínguez and Eduardo Martín, as well as with the late Ñico Rojas, transcribing, premiering and recording new works that have significantly expanded the modern Cuban guitar repertoire. These collaborations have earned international recognition, including multiple awards at the Cubadisco Awards.

He has appeared at leading venues including Wigmore Hall, Kings Place, the Royal Albert Hall and the Barbican, and has performed as soloist with ensembles such as the Bath Festival Orchestra and the Kyan Quartet. Deeply connected to both Havana and London, Ahmed Dickinson Cárdenas continues to build bridges between traditions, cultures and generations, a dual perspective that lies at the heart of Portraits For Guitar.

Ahmed performs with a guitar by Dieter Hopf / Manuel Adalid (Artist Membrane 2014) and strings by Knobloch.