Kevin Loh brings classical guitar from Singapore to Wisconsin

[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 Fitzgerald: Kevin is pursuing a master’s in guitar performance at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. On the classical guitar, he is a virtuoso.

Ren 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 Fitzgerald: That’s saying a lot, coming from Ren Izquierdo, a maestro on classical guitar and Kevin’s music professor.

Ren Izquierdo: He’s a quick learner, very quick. And maybe with the right side of the nail to get, there you go.

Kevin Loh: I first met Ren in 2014. It was at a guitar festival in Iserlohn, Germany. [Ren singing] I was just mesmerized right away as to the level of teaching that Ren 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 Ren, was that talent alone is not enough.

[bright classical guitar music]

Ren Izquierdo: When you find that talent meets desire and sacrifice, that’s where you have all those elements to make a great musician.

Angela Fitzgerald: Before Ren, another man started Kevin on a path from Singapore to success.

[gentle classical guitar music]

Kevin Loh: 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 Fitzgerald: Within a few years, these home videos had been viewed worldwide on the family’s YouTube channel.

[gentle classical guitar music]

Kevin Loh: 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]

Ren Izquierdo: 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 Fitzgerald: Kevin has won the highest national and international awards for classical guitar, and he could also win a medal for modesty.

Kevin Loh: 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.

Ren Izquierdo: This is one of the best in the world because right now, he has nothing else left to prove.

Kevin Loh: It feels really weird because normally, he will make sure to avoid saying anything of the sort.

Ren Izquierdo: That’s true. [both laugh]

Angela Fitzgerald: The accolades are welcome, but what Kevin still cherishes is the musical advice from his dad.

Kevin Loh: 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.

Angela Fitzgerald: Today, Kevin is sharing that passion with UWM students he helps mentor.

[note playing]

Kevin Loh: Very good. 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 Fitzgerald: Classical guitar is the instrument that taught Kevin your passion can become your profession.

[gentle classical guitar music]

Ren Izquierdo: No doubt he’s gonna be concertizing, performing, teaching at the highest level anywhere he would be.

Kevin Loh: 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]