Born in Chile, Mr. Diaz and his family moved to Atlanta, Georgia when he was a toddler. Mesmerized by a concert by celebrated cellist Pierre Fournier when he was four years old, he embarked on a lifelong love affair with the cello. Following his first prize win at the 1986 Naumberg International Cello Competition, Mr. Diaz earned a reputation as being among the world’s elite cellists. He has appeared with symphony orchestras across five continents while regularly performing at music festivals around the world. He is a founding member of the acclaimed string group Diaz Trio, and was nominated for a 2009 Latin Grammy Award.

Mr. Diaz studied at the Georgia Academy of Music. He graduated from the New England Conservatory where he worked with Laurence Lesser and Colin Carr, and continues to play an active role at the school. He served for five years as Associate Professor of Cello at Boston University, and Co-Director of the Boston University Tanglewood Institute Quartet Program. He is on faculty at The Banff Centre and artist-in-residence at Brevard Music Center in North Carolina. Mr. Diaz currently serves as Professor of Cello and head of the strings department at Southern Methodist University.

Mr. Diaz plays a 1698 Matteo Goffriller cello, using a bow crafted by his father Manuel Diaz.