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Can Wang, the Beijing Gypsy
Can Wang is one of those artists capable of building bridges between apparently distant worlds. Born in Beijing and trained on the stages of half the world, this guitarist and composer has made the Spanish guitar his universal language. His artistic nickname, ‘El Gitano de Pekín’, is no coincidence: it is the reflection of a free spirit, passionate and deeply connected to flamenco, a style that has conquered him to the core.
His musical adventure began in China, where he studied classical music and guitar from an early age. Fascinated by the expressiveness of the Spanish guitar, he decided to embark on a journey that would change his life: he moved to Spain to study flamenco in depth, seeking not only the technique, but the cultural essence of the genre. It was in cities such as Seville, Granada, Córdoba and Jerez that Can Wang soaked up the duende, the compás and the flamenco soul.
In 2022, he became the first Chinese guitarist to obtain the official degree in Flamenco Guitar at the Conservatorio Superior de Música de Córdoba, graduating with the highest grade of his class. Subsequently, he completed with distinction a master’s degree in Flamenco Analysis and Research at the University of Cádiz. He has also published two didactic books on flamenco technique and forms, and in 2021 he released his first single, Vengo de Pekín, with the Spanish agency AirMusic.
Over the years, he has collaborated with musicians from different genres, from jazz and traditional Chinese music to the purest flamenco. His style is the result of this mixture: melodic, expressive, with a rhythmic pulse that captures and a lyricism that moves. In his concerts there is no lack of classical touches or improvised gestures, but what remains constant is his absolute respect for the guitar as an emotional vehicle.
In addition to his activity as a performer, Can Wang is also an active cultural disseminator. He has given more than 50 workshops and educational concerts in Europe and Asia, especially in China and Spain, sharing his particular vision of how music can erase borders and bring cultures closer together. In 2018, he was the subject of a report in El País and several documentaries broadcast on Spain’s main television channels.
In 2025, he has been invited by the prestigious company Ibérica de Danza to participate as solo guitarist in their international tour of Carmen, with 13 performances scheduled in China during the month of September. This collaboration represents a new milestone in his career, combining flamenco virtuosity with theatrical narrative and stage dance in one of the most emblematic titles of Hispanic culture.
Why is Can Wang an Admira artist?
Because he embodies the perfect fusion between technique and soul. Because he has chosen the flamenco guitar as his inseparable ally to tell stories that cross continents.
And because, as he himself says:
“I don’t play to impress, but to communicate. The guitar is my way of talking to the world”.
admira: How were your first steps with the guitar?
Can Wang: My first steps were almost by chance. I was studying ecology in Beijing and, like many people, I played music while I worked in the lab. One day I heard Cositas Buenas, by Paco de Lucía, and that changed my life.
I got hooked, started looking for more flamenco and discovered that it had a rhythm I didn’t know existed. That’s when I met Alberto Cuellar, a master from Granada who lived in Beijing, and he taught me the first secrets of the compás and technique.
With those basics, at the age of 24 I decided to come to Spain. In two months I learnt Spanish, got my visa and landed in Seville in 2014. I enrolled at the Cristina Heeren Foundation, learned accompaniment with Eduardo Rebollar, and then continued with masters like Manolo Sanlúcar.
I gave my first concerts with a dance company in China. I had little technique, but I realised something important: I felt alive, sharing emotion on stage – and that was the first push on a long road towards flamenco.
admira: What attracted you to flamenco as a musical style?
Can Wang: What attracted me most to flamenco was its truth. It’s a music that doesn’t hide, that expresses pain, joy, loneliness or love with an intensity that goes straight to the soul. I was impressed by its rhythmic freedom, its emotional complexity and above all, that ‘duende’ which cannot be explained, but which can be felt. Although I grew up far from Andalusia, I felt that flamenco spoke directly to me, as if there was something universal about it. It’s not just music: it’s a way of life, a way of being in the world. That’s what won me over.
admira: What aspects do you value most when choosing a guitar?
Can Wang: For me, the most important thing is that the guitar has a soul. I don’t just look for volume or brightness: I look for a sound that speaks to me, that inspires me. I really value the response to the touch, the depth in the bass, the clarity in the treble and, above all, the balance. It also has to have a good touch: that it doesn’t fall short when I play loudly, or choke when I play softly.
And of course, comfort is essential. I spend many hours with the guitar, and I need to feel that it is an extension of my body, not a barrier. If a guitar makes me play better without me even realising it, then it’s the one for me.
admira: Why did you choose an Admira guitar?
Can Wang: I chose an Admira guitar because it combines three things I value highly: reliability, balance and sound personality. For a flamenco guitarist like me, who travels, gives concerts, classes and also improvises a lot, I need an instrument that responds well in any situation.
Admira offers guitars with a clear and honest response, which project well but without losing warmth. They also have a very solid build job, and you can feel that when you push the guitar to its limits.
And there’s also something emotional: when a guitar inspires you to play more, to compose more, to try new things… you know you’ve got it right. With Admira I felt that from day one.
admira: What projects do you have on the horizon?
Can Wang: Right now I’m focused on several projects that I’m very excited about. In September I’ll be touring China with the Ibérica de Danza company, performing Carmen in 13 cities. It will be a very special experience, combining live music and dance in a large-scale production, and it’s also very symbolic for me to be able to bring flamenco back to my country.
I am also preparing the recording of a new single, to be released in early 2026, with my own compositions that reflect my personal vision of flamenco.
On a pedagogical level, I am organising new conferences and intensive courses, especially in Asia, to continue sharing flamenco from an open, rigorous and lively perspective.
