On Saturday, October 14, 2017 at 8:00 p.m. in the Spanos Theatre, Cal Poly Arts presents the Brasil Guitar Duo delivering their acclaimed seamless blend of traditional, classical and Brazilian works.
Duo members João Luiz and Douglas Lora are equally at home in a classical or a world music series. They actively strive to expand the repertoire for two guitars –with Lora contributing works of his own and Luiz providing arrangements – combining a broad repertoire of classical guitar works (Bach, Sor, Scarlatti, Rameau, Debussy, etc.) with such traditional Brazilian dance forms as choro, samba, maxixe, and baião.
Their innovative programming is supported by a full global touring schedule and a growing catalogue of critically-acclaimed recordings. The Duo has appeared internationally on major concert series and at festivals in Cuba, Germany, England, Canada, South Korea, Colombia, Brazil, Austria, Panama, Poland, and Bermuda. Recent U.S. engagements included recitals at venues in New York, Miami, Houston, Dallas/Fort Worth, St. Louis, Tucson, Seattle, Nashville, San Jose and Oakland.
Committed to performing new chamber music employing the guitar, the Duo joined cellists Yo-Yo Ma and Carlos Prieto for the October 2014 world premiere of “El arco y la lira,” a work for two cellos and two guitars by the esteemed Cuban composer Leo Brouwer. On the same program – a highlight of the sixth annual Festival Leo Brouwer in Havana—the Duo also performed the Cuban premiere of Brouwer’s “Sonata de Los Viajeros.”
Very active in the recording studio, the Duo’s latest release is 2017’s Ghosting; this recording is very similar in spirit to the Duo’s first CD, Bom Partido (2007), featuring an all-Brazilian repertoire that prompted Classical Guitar to write: “The maturity of musicianship and technical virtuosity displayed on this debut recording by João Luiz and Douglas Lora is simply outstanding…The original compositions by Lora comfortably stand alongside the ‘big names’ on the rest of the program.”
The Harman Hall program will include pieces by Jean-Philippe Rameau, Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Frederic Hand, Egberto Gismonti, Jacob Do Bandolim and Marco Pereira.
Special Note: Brasil Duo will give a 90-minute masterclass from the Spanos Theatre stage at 11 a.m. on Saturday, October 14. Participation and attendance are free. Call 756-5914 for more information.
Brasil Guitar video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsSj4hiKxXI
Student and adult tickets for the performance are $38.40 and $48 respectively and may be purchased in advance at the Cal Poly Ticket Office, Monday – Saturday, noon to 6:00 p.m., located on Grand Avenue on the Cal Poly campus; by phone at 805-756-4849; online at www.calpolyarts.org.
Sponsored by Gerald Finken & Kathleen Enz Finken, Mary Kay Harrington & Thom Brajkovich, Karen S. Kolba, M.D., Debra Valencia-Laver & Gary Laver, Holiday Inn Express
For more information on all Cal Poly Arts events, including audio and video samples, please visit www.calpolyarts.org.