Hucky Eichelmann
Hucky Eichelmann is widely regarded as one of the leading classically trained world guitarists. Born in Sulzburg in southwest Germany, he began playing guitar at a young age and completed his Master’s degree in classical music in his early twenties. Over the past three decades he has taken his distinctive style to audiences around the world, earning the nickname “Musical Ambassador between East and West.” He has performed on five continents for royalty, heads of state, South American Indigenous communities, Asian hill tribes, African children and at major guitar festivals, as well as with Thai musicians and popular artists.
Although trained in classical music, he has developed a diverse repertoire that bridges Eastern and Western traditions and blends classical, folkloric and popular elements. His artistic outlook reflects an ongoing search for new and challenging material.
Eichelmann has a strong connection to Thailand, where he has lived for many years. His recordings of works by His Majesty King Bhumibol of Thailand helped raise the profile of the classical guitar in the country. He has taught at Chulalongkorn and Mahidol Universities in Thailand, at the University of the Philippines and at the St. Cecilia Academy of Music, and he has given masterclasses in Europe, Asia, the Americas and Africa. For his contribution to the development of classical guitar in Thailand, he is often referred to as the “Godfather of Classical Guitar.”
His collaborative projects have included work with Ravi Shankar, Kitaro, Nina Corti, Xuefei Yang and Carlos Bonell. He has also appeared at festivals alongside artists such as John Williams, David Russell, Jorge Morel, Paco Peña, the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet, Juan Martín, Costas Cotsiolis and Kazuhito Yamashita. At the end of the 20th century he was invited to give a concert at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, a rare distinction for an instrumentalist.
In 1984 Eichelmann founded the Bangkok International Guitar Festival & Series, and in 1997 he initiated Thailand’s first international arts festival, serving as artistic director. He later directed the Markgräfler Gitarrentage in Germany and the Bangkok International Showcase Series. He has recorded for WEA, EMI, Peacock and AMI Records.
Through his record label AMI Records (Asia Music International Ltd.), he has produced numerous influential albums of Thai music. His production of Khun-In’s Khun-In Off-Beat Siam, which blends Thai classical music with rock and jazz elements, received wide acclaim. He has also recorded leading Thai music masters from all four regions of the country in high-quality audio, preserving important musical traditions.
In 2011 Eichelmann became Artistic Director of the annual Bangkok Guitar Fiesta. In June 2012 he performed at London’s Bloomsbury Theatre in a concert organised by the Royal Thai Embassy to mark the 84th birthday of His Majesty the King, receiving standing ovations from a full audience.
