Here was a guitarist who knew how to laugh with the music and share the joke with his audience. But behind the entertainer lies a serious artist, whose extended composition in memory of Jana Obrovska proved fully capable of stirring emotions at the other end of the scale. Never was a standing ovation more richly deserved. Pavel Steidl had won the hearts and minds of a capacity crowd.’ (Classical Guitar Magazine)
Pavel Steidl was born in Rakovnik (Czech Republic). Since he won first prize at the Radio France International Competition in Paris in 1982, he has become one of the most widely celebrated soloists of his generation. Between the members of the jury were names of such artist like Alexander Tansman, Antonio Lauro and Maria Luisa Anido.
Before that he studied with such guitarists as Milan Zelenka and Stephan Rak in Prague.
In 1987 he decided to emigrate to the Netherlands were after years of studying and getting inspiration from many different artists he has created his own style which is not ignoring authentic way of interpretation of the 19th-century guitar literature on periodic instruments and going far to some world music elements. Pavel Steidl also composes himself and his compositions are often played on his concerts.
He has given concerts in more than 40 countries such like Canada, USA, China, India, Japan, Europe, South and Central America and many others.
On demand of Italian Guitar Magazine Guitart the readers decided to choose him as the guitar player of the year 2004.
Pavel Steidl plays many instruments, but mainly his Francisco Simplicio (1926) and his Franz Butcher (2008), romantic guitar: copies of J.G. Stauffer guitar made by B. Kresse and original instrument from the beginning of the 19th century Nikolaus G. Ries cca. 1830.