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Soenke Meinen Guitarist Composer Storyteller

SÖNKE MEINEN

GUITARIST | COMPOSER | STORYTELLER

A single guitar and a bar stool – Sönke Meinen doesn’t need much more to break with the expectations of a conventional guitar concert and to enthuse his audiences all over the world. With his captivating performances, the charismatic musician makes acoustic guitar music accessible to everyone who is looking for something original, handmade and extraordinary or simply for finest musical entertainment.

Sönke Meinen embraces all influences from folk, classical music and pop to jazz and film music. On only six strings he sounds like a whole band and explores every possibility of his instrument: One moment he unleashes guitar fireworks in „Sparklemuffin”, “Perpetuum Mobile” or a barnstorming mashup of Michael Jackson’s „Bad“, and the next moment he moves his audience with hauntingly beautiful and melodic ballads. Even with his versatility, his guitar playing is always uncompromisingly unique and on a world-class level – virtuosic, delicate, groovy. 

The concerts of the award-winning musician are by no means for guitar connoisseurs only. He shares unbelievable and hilarious stories about his compositions and leads through a top-class concert evening in a pleasantly empathetic and relaxed manner.  

With his playing, Sönke Meinen has acquired an outstanding reputation in the international guitar scene. A must-see and must-hear!

The new solo album “Spark”:

“Spark” is a musical self-portrait, in which Sönke Meinen takes over the role of guitarist, composer as well as the producer. Each of the 14 exclusively original compositions is based on encounters, personal stories and anecdotes. 

Consequently, the album consists of strongly contrasting facets: The groovy-jazzy “Sparklemuffin” is Sönke’s soundtrack for the mating dance of a small Australian spider, the Nordic-folkloristic “Song for the Dreamers” is a dedication to the Danish-Swedish folk band “Dreamers’ Circus”. The seemingly classical “Heartland”, a homage to his new place of residence Hamburg, is contrasted by groovy-percussive guitar playing in “Brainchild” and “Fake Forgery”.


Five pieces are enriched by internationally renowned guest musicians: Reentko Dirks (baritone guitar), Bjarke Falgren (violin, viola, cello) and Antoine Boyer (gypsy swing guitar) followed Sönke’s invitation to be part of the album.

TOMMY EMMANUEL CGP

“One of the most creative guitarists in the scene today."

STEVE LUKATHER (GUITARIST OF TOTO)

“Amazing performance!"

MARTIN TAYLOR

"Deep musicality and enviable virtuosity to create music of stunning beauty."

SÜDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG

"Meinen plays with an excellent technique and right from the heart. A world-class fingerpicker."

OTTO WAALKES

"Sönke is the greatest, most musical guitar prodigy under the Frisian Sun!"

BIO

Sönke Meinen, born in 1991 and raised in Ihlow/Northern Germany, studied under Prof. Thomas Fellow, Prof. Stephan Bormann and Reentko Dirks at the Dresden University of Music, where he held a teaching position himself from 2019 to 2022. Sönke Meinen won numerous competitions – in 2016 he collected awards at two of the largest international guitar competitions: the well-respected “Guitar Masters” (first prize) and the “European Guitar Award“ (sponsoring prize).

Sönke Meinen is not only performing in solo concerts, but also in duo projects with Danish violin virtuoso Bjarke Falgren as well as with guitarist and theatre musician Philipp Wiechert. Bjarke Falgren’s and Sönke Meinen’s highly acclaimed duo debut album “Postcard to Self” earned two nominations for the Danish Music Awards in 2019.

In addition to his musical work as a guitarist and composer, Sönke Meinen is a renowned lecturer and workshop leader as well as the initiator and artistic director of the Freepsum International Guitar Festival, which has been taking place annually since 2011.

AWARDS

  • 2015: eco Musikförderpreis 2015

  • 2016: European Guitar Award (sponsoring prize)

  • 2016: Artesano Guitarist of the Year

  • 2016: Guitar Masters 2016 (1st prize)

  • 2019: two nominations for the Danish Music Awards (categories „Album of the Year (World)“ and „Composer of the Year“) (duo with Bjarke Falgren)

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