Gints Smukais

GINTS SMUKAIS 
Guitar Player / Composer 
His first encounter with the guitar was in late 2008. Since then, he taught himself to play and 
explored percussive fingerstyle and composing since 2011, playing shows alone (with his 
music) and collaborating together with various well known Latvian musicians, pop-artists 
and choirs since 2013. 

MEDIA
“Gints Smukais with his performance captivated both the previous round of the 
show's jury and the final jury, which was composed of professionals who are 
familiar with the show business scene and backstage life. ” 
/kasjauns.lv 
“It does not happen often to see artists who are so united 
with their instruments” 
/Jolanta Gulbe-Paškeviča – kasjauns.lv 
“In the making and recording of this song, the joung and talented guitarist Gints 
Smukais took part as well, who already, with his virtuoso self-taught way, 
bewitched many listeners in Latvia.” 
/Augusts Akmenkalns – gitarspele.lv 
“He can play all of it on his guitar – inly, true and unique.” 
/Anete Kluce – e-klase.lv 

ACCOMPLISHMENTS 
Every year since 2014 he takes part in Latvia’s biggest and most known guitarist camps and workshops 
as a guest lecturer, demonstrating percussive fingerstyle. 

-GUITAR DAY 2013 LATVIAN GUITAR CONTEST: 2nd Place
-GUIAR DAY 2015 LATVIAN GUITAR CONTEST: 2nd Place

-Canadian Guitar Festival Fingerstyle Contest 2017: 2nd Place

The main influence and inspiration for the first 3 years of playing guitar came from a rock 
band from Canada named „Billy Talent”. The next big inspiration, that led him to compose 
and play in percussive fingerstyle, was the American guitarist and composer Kaki King, from 
which he discovered even more guitarists / composers, from whom he could scoop some 
more inspiration , such as - Andy McKee, Antoine Dufour, Calum Graham, Jon Gomm, Trevor Gordon Hall, 
and, of course, Michael Hedges. 
His goal is to raise awareness of the true beauty of instrumental music, and to unite and 
interconnect with his music as many people as possible, and, while doing that, to experience 
the joy of true expression and creation. :)