6:00 $45-40
8:00 $45-40
Dances From the New World
“These are truly three sensational musicians of historical proportion” -Santa Cruz Register
“Call it one of the most engaging musical presentations of the season. Better yet, call it a stunning display of the music of the Western Hemisphere.” -Los Angeles Times
One of the great clarinetists in the world unites with one of the greatest guitar duos ever! This special show showcases the virtuosity of all three performers in arrangements by Sergio Assad and pieces by D’Rivera, Copland, Villa-Lobos, Gershwin, Ginastera, Lecuona and others.
“he [D'Rivera] has become the consummate multinational ambassador, creating and promoting a cross-culture of music that moves effortlessly among jazz, Latin, and Mozart.” -National Endowment for the Arts
Winner of 11 Grammy Awards, Paquito D’Rivera is revered for his contributions to Latin music as well as for his classical playing and composing. Born in Havana, Cuba, Paquito studied at the Havana Conservatory of Music, and at age 17 was a featured soloist with the Havana Symphony. He broke onto the international scene with the innovative group Irakere, who fused rock and jazz with traditional Cuban music and toured extensively throughout the Americas and Europe. As a founding member of Dizzy Gillespie’s United Nation Orchestra, D’Rivera again showcased his ability to blend Latin and Caribbean influences with jazz. His over thirty solo recordings feature Paquito’s virtuosic control of Latin, jazz and classical music.
“As performers, these two play like the close brothers they are. They pick up instantly on the other’s cues, respond as if intuitively and seem to be wired in to the same operating system. What’s projected is a sort of ‘uber-guitar,’ two instruments and one brain.” -Washington Post
The music world has never seen anything quite like the Assad Brothers. For over 30 years they have been the yardstick against which all other guitarists are measured. With innovative arrangements, incredible nuance and expressiveness, and frightening dexterity, Sergio and Adair Assad have set a new standard of musicality for the instrument.
The Assad brothers studied for seven years under Monina Tavora, a disciple of Andres Segovia. They came to international prominence in 1979, winning a Young Artists Competition in Bratislava. While they are dedicated to the classical guitar tradition, the brothers push that tradition past its conceivable limits with new arrangements. The Assad Brothers have worked alongside Yo Yo Ma, Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, Gidon Kramer, Dawn Upshaw, and many others.
“The Assads’ virtuosity left the many guitarists in the crowd, including me, awe-struck. Their speed, their gorgeous tone, their uncanny musical memories (not a page of music appeared on the stage), and their ability to play thousands of notes without a single clinker, click or buzz are the stuff of guitar gods…an inspiring concert that celebrated the swooping energy of musical phrases and the irresistible beauty of the sound of two guitars” -Milwaukee Journal Sentinel