SagoBako in Concert – SEA Debut Tour, Singapore
May 10 @ 5:15 pm - 7:00 pm
$28
Guitar duo brings Southeast Asian virtuosity to Singapore in highly anticipated debut
Singapore is set to welcome the SagoBako guitar duo for the first time, as the celebrated pair of classical guitarists embarks on a 15-city tour across Southeast Asia.
Huy Quang Tran from Vietnam and Wadcharin Suksabsri from Thailand—known for their intricate artistry and profound musical synergy—will perform on May 10 at Bechstein Music World Recital Hall in Shenton Way. They will introduce local audiences to a repertoire that blends European and Latin American classical traditions with the duo’s signature interpretations.
Their programme will feature works composed or arranged for two guitars by Enrique Granados, Vasquez Edmundo, Leo Brouwer, Matthias Duplessy, Ruperto Chapi, and Justo Tomás Morales, among others. Notable duets include Granados’ Danzas Españolas (Oriental, Andaluza, and Villanesca)—reimagined for two guitars—and Edmundo’s evocative Suite Populaire.
Each guitarist will also perform solo pieces, including works by Leo Brouwer, Máximo Diego Pujol, and Ariel Ramírez.
Cross-border musical dialogue
SagoBako is a portmanteau of Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) and Bangkok, the two home cities that shaped their artistic journeys. Huy and Suksabsri first crossed paths at the 2018 Southeast Asia Guitar Festival & Performance Awards in Bangkok, where a shared reverence for the classical guitar sparked a collaboration.
In 2023, Huy and Suksabsri formed SagoBako, dedicated to pushing the boundaries of classical guitar performance while preserving its time- honoured traditions.
Their 2025 tour will see them perform across Vietnam, Singapore, and Thailand, with stops in Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho, Long Xuyên, Dalat, Haiphong, and Hanoi before arriving in Singapore. The tour will culminate in May at the Southeast Asia Guitar Festival & Performance Awards in Bangkok, a fitting finale to their musical odyssey.
Masters of their craft
No stranger to their native classical guitar scenes, Huy, 34, a graduate of the Ho Chi Minh City Conservatory of Music, has represented Vietnam in national classical guitar competitions. The prize-winner of Saigon International Guitar Festival (2017, 2019) continues to shape the next generation of musicians as an educator and performer.
Suksabsri, 35, a Bangkok native, began his musical journey at age 14 and went on to earn both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Music Performance from Silpakorn University. The prize-winner of Martinez Thailand Guitar Competition 2020 has also participated in international guitar festivals across Asia, earning acclaim for his expressive interpretations and technical finesse.
Through their performances, SagoBako aims to bridge cultures through the classical guitar. Their Singapore debut is not just a showcase of technical mastery but a testament to the instrument’s evolving possibilities in the hands of two of Southeast Asia’s most compelling musicians.
