Zlatko Josip Grgic
TORRES' WHISPERER
Zlatko Josip Grgić was born in Zagreb in 2001. From his earliest childhood, he has been surrounded by some of the best guitar players in the world, such as Leo Witoszynsky and Tommy Emmanuel, taught by his father, a guitar teacher himself.
In his concerts, Grgić puts emphasis on emotion, authenticity and expressiveness, thus continuing the tradition of the old Spanish, Catalan school of guitar, which - through the guitar teachers Leo Witoszynsky and Luisa Walker - leads directly to the great guitar player Miguel Llobet, a student of Francisco Tarrega.
Being a pupil of the Vatroslav Lisinski Music School in Zagreb, Zlatko Josip Grgić regularly appears at its festive concerts.
At the beginning of 2017, he received the Distinction Award at the Dr. Jovan Jovičić Competition in Novi Sad (Serbia), and at the end of the same year, thanks to his collaboration with the art restorer Gabriele Lodi, he performed at the opening of an exhibition of Torres guitars on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the guitar maker Antonio de Torres’ birth at the Violin Museum in Cremona (Italy). He also recorded the piece Serenata Española by J. Malats for the Spanish Television within their documentary film about Antonio de Torres, featuring the best guitar players in the world.
In the spring of 2018, he recorded Ennio Morricone’s Cinema Paradiso as a music video in Venice. In December 2018, he gave a successful concert in Barcelona on the famous Torres guitar, La Invencible (The Invincible), as Torres himself had named it, which is the only guitar among the National Treasures of Spain. On that occasion, the Spanish gave Zlatko Josip Grgić the nickname Torres’ Whisperer.
Zlatko plays Torres’ guitar La Invencible (1884). It is the very first time that this musical instrument left Spain, and this concert should connect the Spanish and Viennese guitar schools to one another, which were first connected by Miguel Llobet and Luisa Walker. It was back in 1924 that Miguel Llobet brought Luisa Walker a guitar, made by Santos Hernández, from Madrid. She passed it on to her student Leo Witoszynsky, who bestowed it on Zlatko’s father, and he gave it to his son who plays it. Thus, this guitar is a sort of materialization of the historical tradition and mutual influence of both guitar schools on each other.
Zlatko Josip Grgić also plays a Torres guitar from 1869., 1883., 1890.
Testimonials
“This sounds precious and profound. What a sound this guitar has!… and what personal way Zlatko has to play. Congratulations and thank You very much for this big surprise.” –Carles Trepat, Spanish classical guitarist.
“Zlatko plays concerts, enters competitions and lately has done a few Tv features. His style is very interesting – he plays without nails, and plays on gut strings. His style is also very personal – very subtle, sensitive and unique in terms of phrasing, color shifts, exploration of sound, etc. Very interesting young man.”– David Collett, president of Guitar Salon International, Los Angeles.
“Zlatko Josip Grgić is a great talent, he plays in a refreshing way in the traditional style (with gut strings and no nails) and with such sensitivity and style. Altamira is honored to be collaborating with Zlatko to create guitars based off the original 1890 Torres guitar Zlatko plays. We look forward to exhibiting this original Torres guitar and our replica guitars in our global festivals.” – Matthew Ng, Altamira Music Holding’s Director
“Great interpretation and virtuously playing an historical Torres. Great version of Seveilla Albeniz. Is a very nice guitar player interpretation. And is incredible to hear one Torres played with orchestra. “ Gabriel Fleta, Spanish guitar manufacturer from long famous family line (grandfather Ignacio Fleta who was famous violin maker who started making guitars after repairing instruments by Torres)
“I have lived with the guitar for 39 years, this way of leading the melody, the harmony and transparency of the voices, the colors that Zlatko performs on the guitar and the musicality is magnificent, thank you…” – Eli Wytoszynsky, (wife of Prof. dr. Leo Wytoszynkoga to whom the entire concert was dedicated)