Dimitri Illarionov was born in 1979 in Russia. He is one of the most brilliant young classical guitarists of his generation. He studied with Natalia Dmitrieva at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory and with the famous performer and Professor, Alexander Frauchi (Russian Gnesins´s Academy of Music). In the mean time, he took lessons with famous Russian composer and guitarist, Nikita Koshkin.

Dimitri Illarionov is the winner and laureate of numerous international competitions in USA, Spain, Italy, Poland, Belgium, Czech Republic and Russia. In 2006, he was awarded for the best interpretation of the music of Tarrega (Francisco Tarrega Competition in Benicasim, Spain) and Barrios Prize (Agustin Barrios Competition in Nuoro, Italy). Dimitri was the first guitarist who took the Second Prize in the III International Competition of Musical Personalities "Alexander Tansman" (Lodz, Poland - 2000). Piano, violin, cello, guitar and other instruments compete directly with each other in this competition. Dimitri’s success here was the highest place guitarists ever reached in the Tansman competition.

In October 2002 Dimitri Illarionov won the most prestigious guitar competition in the world – The Twentieth International Guitar Foundation of America Solo Guitar Competition (GFA – Miami, Florida, USA). Besides his guitar achievements, Dimitri is also a laureate of composing and conducting competitions.

Dimitri Illarionov has an active performing career. He gives solo recitals regularly and also plays in concert with orchestras as a soloist. He has performed and collaborated with artists – conductors Vladimir Fedoseyev, Mark Gorenshtein, Dmitri Liss, guitarist Dusan Bogdanovic (Yugoslavia–USA), as well as young and successful musicians: cellist Boris Andrianov, violinist Elena Revich, violist Maxim Rysanov, guitarist Yuliya Lonskaya, pianist Polina Osetinskaya, violinist Anastasia Chebotareva, pianist Ekaterina Mechetina
He has performed worldwide and throughout Russia, in Europe in some of the most famous concerts halls: Zurich, Moscow, Osaka.

Dimitri Illarionov was part of a few significant events, such as the Los-Angeles Festival of Russian Culture (California, USA, 2004), Tongyeong International Music Festival (Korea, 2005), Opening Ceremony of Hannover Messe 2005 (Germany) and “G-8” Summit (Saint-Petersburg, Russia, 2006). He was also the first guitarist-soloist to participate in the Famous Festival of the “Orpheum Foundation for the Advancement of Young Soloists” (Switzerland, 2006).

To the present, Dimitri Illarionov has recorded a solo CD “East Side Story” (Daminus Records) featuring music of modern Eastern European composers, the CD “Premieres” with Moscow Chamber “The Seasons” Orchestra (conductor – Vladislav Bulakhov) for Les Editions Doberman-Yppan; one more solo CD by famous label Naxos (Laureate Series). Dimitri’s “Classical Duo” CD (Delos Records) with Boris Andrianov has come into pre-short-list of the prestigious “GRAMMY-2004” Awards. Last September 2007 he won the second prize at the International Pittaluga guitar competition in Alessandria, Italy.

Dimitri Illarionov has attended master classes of such prominent musicians as guitarists Carlo Marchione and Roberto Aussell, lute player Hopkinson Smith and cellist David Geringas. He now teaches his own class at the Russian Gnesins´s Academy of Music in Russia.