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Duo Assad

The Brazilian-born brothers Sérgio and Odair Assad are widely considered the most popular and virtuosic guitar duo in the world. Their exceptional artistry and uncanny ensemble playing come from both a family rich in Brazilian musical tradition and from studies with the best guitarists in South America. Now Sergio Assad is adding to their repertory by composing music for the duo and for various musical partners both with symphony orchestra and in recitals. They have worked extensively with such renowned artists as Yo-Yo Ma, Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, Fernando Suarez Paz, Paquito D Rivera, Gidon Kremer and Dawn Upshaw.

Badi Assad

Badi Assad is one of Brazil's most talented performers. A heartfelt vocalist who sings in English and Portuguese and is known for her Bobby McFerrin-like improvisations, Assad is also one of the country's truly accomplished guitar players. In 1995, Assad was voted Best Acoustic Fingerstyle Guitarist by editors of Guitar Player, while readers of the magazine named her album Rhythms the Best Classical Album of the Year

Romero Lubambo

Born in Rio de Janeiro in 1955, Romero Lubambo studied classical piano and music theory as a young boy. From the time he played his first notes on the guitar at age thirteen, he devoted himself to that instrument. Lubambo graduated from the Villa-Lobos School of Music in Rio in 1978, an outstanding student of classical guitar. Romero has also established himself as a composer and performer on his own critically acclaimed recording projects and collaborations with many outstanding artists, including Dianne Reeves, Michael Brecker, Yo-Yo Ma, Kathleen Battle, Diana Krall, Herbie Mann, Wynton Marsalis, Grover Washington Jr., and Harry Belafonte, among many others.

Yamandu Costa

It's not an exaggeration to call Yamandú Costa a prodigy on the guitar. Born in Rio Grande do Sul in 1980, Yamandú plays the "violão de 7 cordas" since he was seven and started to improvise even before his tenth birthday.. Today, Yamandú is one of the few composers of contemporary "gaucho" instrumental music. What is new or unique about Yamandu? He plays the 7-string guitar (a different instrument with different sound potential) and exploits the seventh string on the low end so that you hear two melodies or counterpoint lines and sweeping bass note swipes. His style is unique and resonates technical brilliance. The distinctly new sound he delivers is an amalgam of Choro, the most played music in Brazil, with Gaucho melodies and dance

Celso Machado

Master of ritmos brasilieros, virtuoso guitarist, percussionist and multi-instrumentalist Celso Machado brings joy to his audiences, with his subtle mixture of musical inspiration, irresistible rhythm and inspired lunacy. While Celso's music is rooted in the percussive rhythms, harmonies and spirit of Brazil it also reflects his incurable fascination with other world music traditions. He has gained mastery of a vast array of instruments including: the Arab nay, the southern Italian tamburello, Moroccan guembri, and most recently the African kora. These influences blend seamlessly into his own sound.. For over thirty years he has performed on concert stages throughout Brazil, Western Europe and Canada, as well as in the United States.