Praised for, “Virtuosity and deep musical interpretation”, Samuel Hines is an award-winning guitarist from Southern California. World-renowned Cuban guitarist, René Izquierdo has described his pupil as, “A profound musician, his artistry will touch many!” An Augustine Strings Artist, Hines is also a prize-winner in over 35 competition, with recent first prizes including the 2020 Texas International Guitar Competition, the 2020 Schubert Club Competition the 2019 Houston Guitar Festival, the 2019 Gohar and Ovanes Andriassian Competition at Cal State LA, the 2019 New Orleans International Guitar Festival, and the 2019 Appalachian Guitarfest, 2017 Florida Guitar Festival, and 2017 East Carolina University Solo Guitar Competition, among others. Hines was selected as one of 15 competitors from around the world at the 2012, 2015 and 2019 of the Parkening International Guitar Competition. He has also recently been awarded the 2020 Mid-Career Artist Grant from the East Central Regional Arts Council, through the McKnight Foundation.  Hines is a Doctoral candidate at the University of Minnesota as well as teaching assistant to Maja Radovanlija. Hines plays a 2014 Antonio Marin Montero on Augustine Regal Blue Strings."