Korean guitarist, Ikwhan Ji, Records Music By Dyens, Brouwer, Reis, Tarrega, and Myers

Recently, we've had the pleasure of recording a new artist in our showroom. Ikwhan Ji (지익환) is a classical guitarist from Seoul, South Korea. He graduated from the Seoul Arts High School and the National University in Seoul, where he studied classical guitar performance. Ikwhan is also a prize-winner of many prestigious competitions, including the Seoul Philharmonic Competition, the Korea Guitar Association Competition, and the Shenyang International Competition in China.

While at GSI, Ikwhan recorded five videos. His set of videos starts with "Tango en Skaï." This piece from 1985 became one of the most famous tangos written for our instrument. It originated as one of Dyens' many live improvisations, which was later written down. The word "skaï" can either refer to fake leather or PVC, emphasizing the caricature style of this piece. Ikwhan recorded this piece on a 2023 Dominik Wurth SP/IN, a guitar with a robust sound and excellent intonation.

Next, we could hear Leo Brouwer's famous "Un Dia De Noviembre" (English: "One Day in November"). "Un Dia De Noviembre" is a theme written for a 1972 Cuban film of the same title. This film, directed by Humberto Solás, tells the story of a man named Esteban who is diagnosed with a cerebral aneurysm. Receiving this diagnosis makes him reflect on his life and relationships with his family. Ikwhan recorded this piece on a vintage 1964 Masaru Kohno "4" SP/IN, a fantastic guitar that predates Kohno's international debut in 1967 when he was awarded a gold medal at the "Concours International de Quatuor a Cordes et Rencontres Musicales Internationales de Liege" in Belgium.

The third video features "Xodó Da Baiana" (Batuque) by Brazilian composer Dilermando Reis. Batuque is a musical and dance practice that originated in Cape Verde. It also includes elements of combat practice and religion. Batuques were popular in the early 19th century among Afro-Brazilian communities. Dilermando Reis' "Xodó Da Baiana" is a fantastic composition that represents the spirit of this genre. Ikwhan recorded this piece on a 2003 Antonio Raya Pardo SP/CSAR.

The next piece is Francisco Tárrega's "Fantasia sobre motivos de La Traviata." "La Traviata" is Giuseppe Verdi's opera from 1853. It became immediately popular and remains one of the most frequently performed operas in the world. In his "Fantasia," Francisco beautifully interwove the most iconic themes from the opera and adapted them for the guitar. Ikwhan performed this piece on a 2021 Bertrand Ligier CD/IN.

In the last video, you can hear Ikwhan performing Stanley Myers' "Cavatina," which was famously performed by John Williams as the theme in the movie "The Deer Hunter." The guitar featured in the video is a 1984 Daniel Friederich CD/IN.