Bluvenduo

Bluvenduo is a musical collaboration between guitarists Zhanxiang Shi (Shanghai) and Sebastian Robles (Edmonton). The duo formed in San Francisco during their first year of study with their teacher Judicaël Perroy, and has since performed in San Francisco, Paris, Geneva, as well as throughout Alberta, Canada.

 

Since their inception, the duo has continued to diversify their repertoire with pieces that are enhanced by the simultaneously expressive and percussive sound of the guitar. Their repertoire includes many of their own transcriptions, which are taken from the great repertoire and are crafted with care. In doing so, the duo aspires to present masterworks by Rachmaninoff, Schubert, and Haydn on two guitars while keeping the musical integrity of the original compositions.

 

The duo is avidly involved in contemporary music, and actively collaborates with composers to create new works. In 2022, they commissioned Czech composer Lukáš Janata to compose XII: Antiphōna, which had its premiere on December 16, 2022 in Geneva. Sebastian’s compositions also form a substantial part of their repertoire.

 

As a duo, the two guitarists aspire to find a joint musical will while always keeping their distinctive musical identities. Therein lies the magic of the guitar duo: it is a small, perfectly balanced ensemble that can imitate the harmonic richness of the piano, but with the possibility of dialogue between two musicians with distinct voices.

 

Bluvenduo proudly plays on strings from Knobloch, which has supported the duo's musical activities since 2023.

 

Zhanxiang and Sebastian are currently studying with Judicaël Perroy at the Haute école de musique de Genève where they are honing their craft and are eager to share their work in concert.