BBC - Radio 3 - Womad2005

KIKE PEDERSEN (PARAGUAY)

Read an interview with Kike

See pictures from his WOMAD show

Back in May, Charlie Gillett posted a rant polemic on his website about the tired and outmoded domination of the six-string guitar in contemporary music. Why does an instrument have to have six strings? Why not two, or 20 or 78?

This passionate outpouring was a preamble to the introduction of a remarkable talent from Paraguay in South America, called Kike Pedersen, who happens to be a virtuoso of the 24-stringed Paraguayan harp. Pedersen is currently an English student in London, but rather than consecrating his spare time to pub and club action, he's been busy building a considerable reputation as a harpist and support act to many a visiting Latino star.

Nephew of the uncontested King of Paraguayan harpers, Rito Pedersen, Kike Pedersen started playing the instrument at the tender age of 12 at home in the Paraguayan capital Asunción. He has performed in Brazil, Israel, all over Europe and throughout the UK, and released numerous CDs. His music is rhythmic and tender and soulful by turns, whilst always remaining soulful, with that light touch which is the harp's unique prerogative. It's music for floating, dreaming and dancing!

Andy Morgan

Official website

Catch him on Friday 7.30-8.15pm, World On Your Street Tent

Read other people's comments then

Tell us what you think:

gustavo pedersen
te aprecio mucho I really like him!

Pedro de Cartagena
kike es bueno,pero ahi bastante arpista en paraguay que son muy buenos tambien...UN ERROR el rey del arpa no es Rito pedersen,es Nicolas Caballero,ese SI ES UN REY DEL ARPA..Saludos y fuerzas kike sigue practicando Kike is good, but there are other harpists in Paraguay who are very good as well the King of the Harp is not Rite Pedersen, it is Nicolas Caballero, HE IS the KING Of the Harp.. hugs and kisses!

Inesa - Lithuania -Vilnius
Kike is absolutely briliant:)

nick penny, peterborough
Charlie Gillett got the number of strings on Kike's harp wrong in his piece about him. Parguayan harps have 36 strings, not 24. But he wasn't wrong about Kike's talent - he's absolutely brilliant.

Robert and Rosemary Munro, Appleton, Oxon
We have heard Kike Pedersen several times, both in England and in Paraguay. He is indeed a virtuoso of this instrument, which, incidentally, has 36 strings!!!