CALGARY – Harry Knight has thrilled the crowds at the Calgary International Flamenco Festival and jammed backstage with Canadian guitar legend Jesse Cook.
Now the 8-year-old guitar prodigy is taking it to the next level, heading off to Spain in February to study with renowned masters of the flamenco guitar.
Harry’s been playing since asking for a guitar as a Christmas present when he was four.
Flamenco was something that came naturally. “It’s pretty cool,” said Harry. “You get to play really fast.”
Harry’s dad Peter is a guitar teacher, giving him lessons right from the beginning.
“He started playing and I noticed incredible agility with the fingers.”
Harry is in the Spanish bilingual program at Calgary’s Collingwood School, where his grade three teacher Maria Jo loves hearing him play.
Originally from Madrid, Jo said, “it’s really nice for me, like a little piece of Spain coming here in my classroom.”
Jo has arranged for Harry to play for the students at her old school in Madrid.
“They can’t believe, like a blonde Canadian boy is going there to play flamenco,” Jo said. “They are so excited for that.”