Kevin Loh brings classical guitar from Singapore to Wisconsin
Clip | 6m 25sVideo has Closed Captions
World-renowned classical guitarist Kevin Loh studies his craft at UW-Milwaukee.
World-renowned classical guitarist Kevin Loh is from Singapore and studies at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Loh gained recognition as a child through family YouTube videos and now performs at prestigious international venues.
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Wisconsin Life is a local public television program presented by PBS Wisconsin
Funding for Wisconsin Life is provided by the Wooden Nickel Fund, Mary and Lowell Peterson, A.C.V. and Mary Elston Family, Obrodovich Family Foundation, Stanley J. Cottrill Fund, Alliant Energy, UW...
Kevin Loh brings classical guitar from Singapore to Wisconsin
Clip | 6m 25sVideo has Closed Captions
World-renowned classical guitarist Kevin Loh is from Singapore and studies at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Loh gained recognition as a child through family YouTube videos and now performs at prestigious international venues.
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship[bright classical guitar music] - Angela Fitzgerald: Kevin Loh is a guitar prodigy from Singapore who plays with purpose and precision.
- Kevin Loh: I try to provide a sort of refreshing take on classical guitar repertoire that really pushes classical music to the next level.
- Angela: Kevin is pursuing a master's in guitar performance at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
On the classical guitar, he is a virtuoso.
- René Izquierdo: I knew that minute I heard him play the very first time that he was gonna be one of the great guitarists of our time.
- Angela: That's saying a lot, coming from René Izquierdo, a maestro on classical guitar and Kevin's music professor.
- René: He's a quick learner, very quick.
And maybe with the right side of the nail to get, there you go.
- I first met René in 2014.
It was at a guitar festival in Iserlohn, Germany.
[René singing] I was just mesmerized right away as to the level of teaching that René was giving.
And for me, it was a matter of when, not if, as to when I'd arrive in Milwaukee to pursue further studies with him.
There's a difference between [note playing] and [note playing].
One of the biggest lessons that I had already heard of, but it was really reinforced with René, was that talent alone is not enough.
[bright classical guitar music] - René: When you find that talent meets desire and sacrifice, that's where you have all those elements to make a great musician.
- Angela: Before René, another man started Kevin on a path from Singapore to success.
[gentle classical guitar music] - Kevin: My father and I were simply just playing the guitar in our living room, and my mother would be behind the camera, filming us.
[bright classical guitar music] - Angela: Within a few years, these home videos had been viewed worldwide on the family's YouTube channel.
[gentle classical guitar music] - Kevin: So, it was around 9 or 10 years of age when people were saying, "Okay, there's something here.
We can push this further a little bit."
That was when the bigger performances started to come in, giving me my debut at the Esplanade Concert Hall, which is, like, one of the two big concert halls in Singapore.
At that point, my father and I were like, "Wow, okay."
You know, all these opportunities came along because of this added exposure.
I performed in the Berlin Konzerthaus.
I've played in the London Wigmore Hall.
I've also played in places like the Suntory Hall in Tokyo.
All of these places are real prestigious sort of venues.
[bright classical guitar music] - René: Everyone on the world stage knows him.
People can tell every time they hear him playing, even the simplest pieces, that this is just beyond playing guitar well.
This is just guitar at its best.
- Angela: Kevin has won the highest national and international awards for classical guitar, and he could also win a medal for modesty.
- Kevin: It's not so much about the results or the glamour necessarily.
It really is appreciating the craft and understanding that it's the journey.
- René: This is one of the best in the world because right now, he has nothing else left to prove.
- It feels really weird because normally, he will make sure to avoid saying anything of the sort.
- That's true.
[both laugh] - Angela: The accolades are welcome, but what Kevin still cherishes is the musical advice from his dad.
- Kevin: He was the one who brought the guitar idea to the table to begin with.
[laughs] He's taught me a lot of life lessons.
He often brought those lessons through the guitar sessions that we had.
I'm very grateful for that because I feel that contributed to the passion of music making very much.
Very good.
- Angela: Today, Kevin is sharing that passion with UWM students he helps mentor.
[note playing] - Kevin: Yeah.
I find myself saying the exact same things that he's taught me.
If you're taking a breath physically, take a breath musically.
And I have that out-of-body experience where it's like, "Damn, I'm really turning into my father."
[laughs] [gentle guitar notes] - Angela: Classical guitar is the instrument that taught Kevin your passion can become your profession.
[gentle classical guitar music] - René: No doubt he's gonna be concertizing, performing, teaching at the highest level anywhere he would be.
- You're forging your own path.
You create your own story.
And you only live once, right?
I am just really fortunate to be here.
[laughs] [gentle classical guitar music] [applause]
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Wisconsin Life is a local public television program presented by PBS Wisconsin
Funding for Wisconsin Life is provided by the Wooden Nickel Fund, Mary and Lowell Peterson, A.C.V. and Mary Elston Family, Obrodovich Family Foundation, Stanley J. Cottrill Fund, Alliant Energy, UW...