Event

Ian O'Sullivan, guitar

Versed in classical technique, composition, and the slack-key tradition of his native Hawaii, embodying the emerging genre of Hawaiian classical guitar

"Born and Raised [O'Sullivan's debut album] is beautiful acoustic music and a memorable introduction to a versatile new talent." honolulupulse.com

Proclaimed by Classical Guitar as "thoughtful" and praised by The Honolulu Advertiser as "delightful," Ian O'Sullivan is a classically-trained guitarist and composer from the North Shore of O'ahu. Well-versed in Hawaiian slack-key guitar and the 'ukulele, in addition to the Western classical repertoire, Ian has performed at Carnegie's Weill Recital Hall, New York Guitar Society, New England Guitar Society, Hawaii Public Radio Atherton Studios, Hawaii Opera Theater, and the Orvis Auditorium at the University of Hawaii. He can also be found regularly in Honolulu at Jazzminds, Tiki's, and Mez 127. In 2013 Ian released his first solo album Born and Raised, featuring his original compositions alongside music of fellow Hawaii composers.

As a child, Ian began playing the 'ukulele by ear. He then experimented with electric guitar in a rock band during high school years, familiarizing himself with contemporary styles of reggae, hip-hop, and jazz through tablature and recordings. In 2001, Ian entered the University of Hawaii at Manoa as a Marine Biology major, though it was not long after when he met Grammy Award-winning artist and then-UH lecturer of classical guitar Jeff Peterson who introduced Ian to the world of classical guitar. During his years at UH, Ian transformed from a non-music-literate garage band guitarist to being the first guitarist from Hawaii to be accepted at Yale University's School of Music.

Ian returned to O'ahu in 2012, accepting the lectureship in classical guitar from his alma mater. Ian is a proud graduate of The Kamehameha Schools, and the recipient of the Yale Eliot Fisk Award.