Brasil Guitar Duo

Years Active

2000

Genres

classical, world music, choro, samba, bossa nova

Instruments

classical guitar

Biography

The Brasil Guitar Duo is a highly acclaimed classical guitar duo formed in São Paulo, Brazil, in 2000 by guitarists João Luiz and Douglas Lora. They met as teenagers and have since developed a remarkable synchronicity and performance style, honed over more than two decades of collaboration. The duo is known for its innovative programming, which seamlessly blends traditional European classical repertoire with traditional Brazilian music forms such as choro, samba, maxixe, and baião. Their performances are equally at home on classical concert series, world music stages, or as soloists with orchestras.

In 2006, the Brasil Guitar Duo won the prestigious Concert Artists Guild International Competition in New York, which significantly boosted their international career and led to numerous performance opportunities. They have since toured extensively across the globe, appearing in major concert series and festivals in numerous countries. The duo has also collaborated with renowned musicians, including cellist Yo-Yo Ma and composer Leo Brouwer, premiering new works and contributing to the repertoire for two guitars. Their discography includes critically acclaimed recordings on labels such as Naxos and CAG Records, featuring works by composers like Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Leo Brouwer, and Paulo Bellinati, as well as their own compositions and arrangements of Brazilian music.

The Brasil Guitar Duo actively seeks to expand the repertoire for two guitars, with both Luiz and Lora contributing original compositions and arrangements. Douglas Lora, who was born in Washington D.C. before his family moved to Brazil, has also explored his Brazilian roots through projects like Trio Brasileiro, focusing on choro music. João Luiz, a professor at Yale School of Music, has also released solo albums showcasing Brazilian classical composers and performs with other ensembles such as the Quaternaglia Guitar Quartet. Their dedication to both traditional and contemporary music, combined with their virtuosic performances, has solidified their reputation as leading interpreters of guitar music.

Discography

• Bom Partido (2007)
• Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Brasil Guitar Duo – Music For Two Guitars • 1 - The Well-Tempered Guitars • Sonatina Canonica (2008)
• Castelnuovo-Tedesco, M.: Music for Two Guitars, Vol. 1 - Sonatina Canonica / Les Guitares Bien Temperees: Nos. 1-12 (2008)
• Castelnuovo-Tedesco • Brasil Guitar Duo – Music For Two Guitars • 2 (2009)
• Castelnuovo-Tedesco, M.: Music for Two Guitars, Vol. 2 - Fuga Elegiaca / Les Guitares Bien Temperees: Nos. 13-24 (2009)
• Zanzibar - A Música de Edu Lobo (2012)
• Leo Brouwer, Brasil Guitar Duo – Music For Two Guitars (2015)
• Brouwer: Music for 2 Guitars (2015)
• Ghosting (2017)
• Leo Brouwer, Paulo Bellinati, Brasil Guitar Duo, Delaware Symphony Orchestra, David Amado – The Book Of Signs (2018)
• Brouwer: The Book of Signs - Bellinati: Concerto Caboclo (2018)
• Plays Gismonti (2022)
• Johann Sebastian Bach, Marina Piccinini, Brasil Guitar Duo – Bach Flute Sonatas