Guitar Wizards set to thrill SA

A guitar invasion is about to engulf Johannesburg.


The show Guitar Wizards, which is an exciting fusion of guitar-driven music from award-winning SA duo CH2, will be staged at The Fringe, Joburg Theatre, for four performances from February 28. It will also be staged in Pretoria and Cape Town.

A highlight of the show will be 18-year-old Polish wonder guitarist Marcin Patrzalek, whose incredible musicianship will be featured when he links up with CH2 for the 90-minute duration of the performance.

Guitar Wizards is a concept created by Corneille Hutten of CH2. The idea, he said, was to fuse various guitar styles from Flamenco to Finger-style guitar playing – all performed with precision on acoustic instruments. These concerts promise to be an eclectic lab of creativity; saluting the sounds of acoustic guitar virtuosity.

For the past 18 years, CH2 has been on top of the SA musical ladder. Winner of multiple Sama and Ghoema Awards, they have produced 11 albums, including the best-selling and Grammy entry Ping and their most recent offering Insomnia – The Chapel Master.

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With their flawless, effortless technique and pulsating rhythms, they showcase what can be done on only two classical guitars, and create an exciting instrumental pop sound while mimicking drum sounds and bass guitar at the same time.

CH2 has truly developed their own style and continues to blow people away with their virtuosity. The members keep challenging themselves with new techniques and see themselves as pioneers of the classical guitar.

Hutten, founder of CH2, said: “I am super excited about the Guitar Wizards series. It is such an honour kicking this off with Marcin, who is a true wizard on the guitar.”

Patrzalek, a finger-style guitarist, won Poland’s biggest TV talent show, Must Be the Music. He is renowned for his guitar arrangements and compositions.

At the age of 10, he began learning to play classical guitar and won many classical international competitions, including the Joaquin Rodrigo Festival. He then became interested in Flamenco music, studying under Spanish virtuoso Carlos Pinana.

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Shortly afterwards, he discovered yet another style: acoustic fingerstyle. It was the style he believed would be most fitting for his music.

Patrzalek developed a unique technique and style which ended up in creating his own Percussive Finger style. His attention-grabbing debut album was released in 2016, and he is the composer of many compositions and arrangements.

The musician said he was “very excited” to be coming to South Africa and to perform with CH2. Interviewed from his home in Kilce, Poland, he said: “I’m extremely excited to have an opportunity to be part of the Guitar Wizards project. My excitement is even bigger when I’m thinking about the fact this project is set to be in South Africa. I can’t wait. See you soon!”

The programme will be filled with popular takes on the music of Metallica, Michael Jackson and compositions from the pen of CH2. The evening will also contain some signature classic guitar pieces like the theme of the adagio movement of the Concierto de Aranjuez and Asturias.

 

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Info

Johannesburg

Dates: February 28 to March 2
Time: 8pm
Venue: The Fringe at Joburg Theatre
Booking: Webtickets

Pretoria

Date: March 8
Time: 8pm
Venue: Atterbury Theatre
Booking: Atterbury Theatre

Cape Town

Date: March 9
Time: 8pm
Venue: Paul Cluver Amphitheatre, Elgin
Booking: Webtickets

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