Brasil Guitar Duo Performs this Friday!

Portland Classic Guitar (PCG) is proud to present a performance by João Luiz and Douglas Lora, better known as the Brasil Guitar Duo—two internationally known guitarists admired for their diverse approach, which incorporates the standard repertoire (including such composers as Bach, Sor, Scarlatti, and Debussy), with traditional Brazilian music (including such styles as choro, samba, maxixe, and baião), as well as brand-new works (including their own arrangements and compositions). This concert begins at 8 PM on Friday, September 26, and will be at Marylhurst University’s Wiegand Hall. This is one of the most exciting new groups on the classical guitar scene; not to be missed!

Hailed by Classical Guitar magazine for its “maturity of musicianship and technical virtuosity,” the Brasil Guitar Duo is equally at home on both Classical and world-music stages. Together, Luiz and Lora have appeared in concert series and festivals throughout the world, including Germany, England, South Korea, Colombia, Brazil, Austria, Panama, Poland, Bermuda, and the United States (where they have performed in such major cities as New York, Santa Barbara, Miami, Houston, Dallas/Fort Worth, St. Louis, and Tucson). The Duo have recorded several critically-acclaimed CDs, including two for the Naxos label that feature the complete guitar duo works of Italian composer Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco. The Duo has also won high praise for its latest CD, released on the Avie label: a collaboration with flutist Marina Piccinini, highlighting all of J.S. Bach’s sonatas for flute and harpsichord, arranged by the Duo for flute and two guitars.

As an ensemble that is committed to repertoire expansion, the Duo recently premiered a concerto by Brazilian composer Paulo Bellinati—with the São Paulo Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Giancarlo Guerrero. And this October, together with cellists Yo-Yo Ma and Carlos Prieto, they will premiere a new work by Cuban composer Leo Brouwer, entitled El arco y la lira (The Bow and the Lyre)—this will be performed in Havana, Cuba, during the Festival Leo Brouwer. Luiz and Lora were also the first to record Brouwer’s complete works for two guitars—a recording that will soon be released by Naxos. And later in 2014 the Duo will also record a CD of works by Brazilian composer, guitarist, and pianist Egberto Gismonti.

Luiz and Lora met in São Paulo as teenage guitar students, and have been performing together for more than fifteen years. They have studied with such teachers as Henrique Pinto, Fabio Zanon, Paulo Martelli, Sergio Abreu, and Alice Artz. Douglas Lora earned his Master’s degree at the University of Miami as a student of Dr. Rene Gonzalez. João Luiz received his Master’s degree from Mannes College. He also studied at the New School for Music under Michael Newman, and is pursuing a doctoral degree at the Manhattan School of Music, studying with David Leisner. He teaches guitar at New Jersey City University. In 2006 the Duo won the Concert Artists Guild International Competition. Wiegand Hall is located at Marylhurst University: 17600 Pacific Highway (Hwy. 43), Marylhurst, OR.