Sérgio Assad facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sérgio Assad
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Assad performing in July 2012
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| Background information | |
| Born | 26 December 1952 Mococa, Brazil |
| Genres | Classical |
| Occupation(s) | Guitarist, composer, arranger, teacher |
| Instruments | Guitar |
| Years active | fl. ca. 1966–present |
| Labels | Nonesuch/Elektra Records |
| Associated acts | Assad Brothers, Duo Assad |
Sérgio Assad (born December 26, 1952) is a famous Brazilian guitarist, composer, and arranger. He often performs with his brother, Odair, as a guitar duo called the Assad Brothers or Duo Assad. Their younger sister, Badi, is also a talented guitarist. Sérgio is also the father of composer and musician Clarice Assad.
Contents
About Sérgio Assad
Early Life and Musical Journey
Sérgio Assad was born in Mococa, Brazil, into a family full of music. He started playing the guitar and creating his own music very early. His father taught him many Brazilian folk songs.
By the time he was 14, Sérgio was already writing and arranging music for the guitar duo he had formed with his brother, Odair. When he was 17, both brothers began studying with Monina Tavora, a well-known classical guitar teacher in Brazil. She had even studied with the legendary guitarist Andrés Segovia. Sérgio later studied conducting and composing in Rio de Janeiro.
Creating Music: Arrangements and Compositions
Sérgio Assad has spent many years making music for two guitars. He is known for his amazing arrangements. An arrangement is when a musician takes a piece of music written for other instruments and changes it to be played on different ones, like two guitars.
He has arranged music by famous composers from Latin America, like Piazzolla and Villa-Lobos. He has also arranged older music from the Baroque period and modern music by composers like Bach and Gershwin. Sérgio has created over 300 arrangements for different groups of instruments. He has worked with many famous musicians, including Yo Yo Ma and Dawn Upshaw.
As a composer, Sérgio Assad writes his own original music. He has written more than 50 pieces for the guitar. Many of his compositions are now important pieces that guitarists around the world play. For example, his solo guitar piece "Aquarelle" was chosen for a major guitar competition in 2002.
He has also written music for orchestras. Some of his orchestral works include "Fantasia Carioca" for two guitars and orchestra, which he and Odair performed in 1998. He also wrote "Interchange," a concerto for a guitar quartet and orchestra.
Teaching and Collaborations
Sérgio Assad loves to share his knowledge. He has taught special classes, called master classes, at music schools and universities all over the world. He has taught in the United States, Europe, Japan, and Australia. He currently teaches at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
The Assad Brothers often work with other classical artists. They have performed and recorded with musicians like Gidon Kremer and Yo Yo Ma. Their teamwork with violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg even inspired Sérgio to write a special concerto called "Originis." This piece celebrates the musical roots of both the violinist and the Assad Duo.
Awards and Recognition
Sérgio Assad has won many awards for his incredible musical talent.
- 2022: His piece "Anido's Portrait" won a Latin Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Classical Composition.
- 2021: His work "Archetypes" was nominated for three Grammy Awards. He created this with his daughter, Clarice Assad, and the Third Coast Percussion group.
- 2012: He received an Honorary Degree (Doctor of Music) from the University of Arizona.
- 2010: His compositions "Interchange" and "Maracaípe" were nominated for Latin Grammy Awards.
- 2008: His composition "Tahhiyya Li Ossoulina" won a Latin Grammy award for Best Contemporary Composition.
- 2002: The album "Sérgio and Odair Assad Play Piazzolla" won a Latin Grammy award for Best Tango Album.
Discography
Sérgio Assad and the Assad Brothers have released many albums over the years. They have recorded music ranging from Brazilian folk songs to classical pieces and their own compositions. Some of their notable albums include Latin American Music for Two Guitars, Alma Brasileira, and Sérgio and Odair Assad Play Piazzolla. They have also collaborated on albums with famous artists like Yo Yo Ma and Gidon Kremer.
What People Say About Sérgio Assad
Music critics and other musicians often praise Sérgio Assad and his brother Odair for their amazing playing.
- "They aren’t just soloists but a two-man, multi voice band of soloists who play instinctively well together, with consistent rhythmic intuition and soul." - The Los Angeles Times
- "The Brazilian-born Assad brothers…perform with almost telepathic unity." – The Boston Globe
- "...the best two-guitar team in existence, maybe even in history… it was as if they could see inside each other's heads." - The Washington Post
- "A kind of wizardry lies within the playing of Sergio and Odair Assad… they produce a supple, flawless unified sound." – The New York Times
See also
In Spanish: Sérgio Assad para niños
