Meng Su — A World-Class Guitarist of Exceptional Artistry

G6. The multifaceted guitarist Meng Su is captivating audiences worldwide with her dazzling virtuosity and refined artistry. New York Concert Review described her performance as "effortless and brilliantly polished… enhanced by a beautiful—and elegant!—stage presence," while American Record Guide wrote: "A recording like this calls for Florestan, Eusebius, and the Rare Master to gather and simply say: 'Gentlemen, hats off—a genius.'"

She has performed recitals in over 30 countries and at iconic venues such as the Concertgebouw, Palau de la Música, and the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing. As a soloist, she regularly appears with international orchestras, including the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and the China Philharmonic Orchestra, with whom she premiered Tan Dun's Yi2 Guitar Concerto in 2018. She is also a frequent guest at the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival.

In addition to touring with the Beijing Guitar Duo, Meng Su collaborates with musicians and dancers. In 2023, she premiered the innovative multimedia production *Spanish Fantasia* in Shanghai, blending guitar, dance, lighting, and stage design, marking a new frontier for guitar art.

Her discography includes acclaimed titles such as *Maracaípe* (Latin Grammy nominee), *Bach to Tan Dun*, *China West*, her solo debut *Meng* (2016), and the recent *Claire de Lune* (2023), widely praised by music critics.

Born in Qingdao, China, she began playing guitar at age five and has won numerous international competitions, including the prestigious Parkening International Guitar Competition (2015). Trained under Maestro Manuel Barrueco at the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University, she is currently on faculty at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where she mentors a select group of students from around the globe.

Program:

Domenico SCARLATTI (1685–1757)
Sonata K.27, L.449 (arr. Barrueco)
Sonata K.213, L.108 (arr. Eriksson)
Sonata K.1, L.366 (arr. Su)

Napoléon COSTE (1805–1883)
Grand Solo, Op. 24

Francisco TÁRREGA (1852–1909)
Recuerdos de La Alhambra
Capricho Árabe

INTERMISSION

Tan DUN (1957)
Seven Desires

Viet CUONG (1990)
Where the Echo Sings (2025) *

Sérgio ASSAD (1952)
Aquarelle
Divertimento
Valseana
Preludio e toccatina

*Commissioned by the Barlow Endowment for Music Composition.