Gao Yi was born in Shandong Province, China in 1970. Since childhood, he has played music, primarily the Chinese bamboo flute. At the age of 17, when the guitar craze was booming in China, he taught himself to play. He graduated with a music major from Jining University in 1992 and then worked in the government's cultural department. Due to his love for the guitar, he went to study classical guitar performance at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing in 1993 under the guidance of Professor Chen Zhi. During his studies, he began to study guitars made in the traditional Spanish style. In March 2000, he participated (as a performer) in the Hong Kong International Guitar Competition and won the fourth place. In August of that same year, he participated in the Chinese Guitar Competition and won first place. At this time, Gao Yi borrowed an Antonio Marin Montero guitar from a friend which he used in both competitions.
In 2002, he was hired by Yamaha Corporation in Japan to be the guitar market manager in China and then settled in Shanghai. During this period, he learned much more about the history and techniques of guitar making.
In 2009, he performed a personal concert at the Shanghai Concert Hall, and at that time he also used the same borrowed Antonio Marin Montero guitar. Gao Yi opened his own music classroom in Shanghai and taught classical guitar as a guitar teacher. He also bought an Antonio Marin Montero guitar for his own performance.
In 2010, he became interested in guitar making and repair work. However, an accident occurred during a repair, and his fingers were injured. After that, Gao decided to get more serious about lutherie and decided to dedicate his career to the craft. In 2013, he was able to learn traditional Spanish guitar-making from Juan Labella, a guitar maker from Granada, in Beijing.
In 2014, under the recommendation of the Consulate - General of Spain in Shanghai, Gao Yi went to Spain. With the introduction of his good friend Alberto Cuellar, he visited Antonio Marin Montero in Granada where he received guidance and encouragement. In 2018, he participated in the III INTERNATIONAL GUITAR BUILDING COMPETITION ANTONIO MARIN MONTERO EGF and entered the second stage. In 2019, recommended by the European Guitar Foundation, he studied with another of the top Granada School luthier, Rene Baarslag. In 2024, he participated in the VII INTERNATIONAL GUITAR BUILDING COMPETITION ANTONIO MARIN MONTERO EGF where his classical guitar made it as finalist and his flamenco took First Prize.
As a musician who has transitioned from performing to lutherie, Gao Yi has carefully explored the mysteries of the guitar. On the basis of learning the techniques and building style of the Spanish Granada school, he also integrates his own designs, largely based on Asian influences, constantly pursuing the ultimate beauty that is warm, delicate, and full of passion and charm. His rosette design includes traditional Chinese aesthetics, combined with Japanese HAKONE Yosegi Zaiku (Marquetry Wood Mosaics). He also often uses mother-of-pearl and shell carvings for his inlay work. Combined with the vivid artistic and geometric decorative totems of Chinese window grilles, he has created a strikingly beautiful and unique aesthetic in his instruments.
Gao Yi spares no effort in the ultimate pursuit of perfection in his work. Working full-time, he is only able to build 8 instruments per year. He strives for the highest quality in every instrument he builds and aims to build a perfect and unique instrument each time.
Gao Yi has been constantly improving and working hard on his long musical journey. He has received wide acclaim in China as a classical guitarist who also builds high-quality guitars. We welcome this fine maker to the GSI family and look forward to seeing many of his guitars in the future.
