Founded in 2016, Duo Chinoiserie has emerged as an unparalleled musical phenomenon, captivating audiences with their transcendent performances. Spearheaded by the exceptional talents of Chinese guzheng virtuoso Xia Jing and classical guitarist Hu Bin, this duo comprises two highly accomplished musicians who have attained unrivaled acclaim in their professional fields.

Critics and audiences alike have been captivated by Duo Chinoiserie's awe-inspiring performances. Grammy winning guitarist David Russell praises their work as a "moving and impressive combination" that showcases their mastery, profound musicality, and attractive phrasing of melodies. With their resolute global vision, Duo Chinoiserie magnificently weaves together the elegance of the Chinoiserie style, seamlessly blending Eastern and Western cultures through their extraordinary musical interpretations. Their meticulously curated repertoire, boldly handpicked, explores the enchanting dialogue and complementary textures of their instruments, expertly uniting contrasting musical styles into a cohesive and well-defined whole.

Having graced illustrious stages in Spain, China, and the United States, Duo Chinoiserie maintains an active concert schedule, enthralling audiences with their sensational performances. They have been proudly presented by esteemed presenters such as the Omni Foundation for the Performing Arts, Arizona Arts Live, Arizona Friends of Chamber Music, St. Andrew’s Bach Society, Tucson Guitar Society, Qinling International Guitar Festival, and many others. Their recent highlights include the world premiere of a double concerto at Carnegie Hall and a collaboration with Ballet Tucson on an original ballet production titled Queen Himiko. In recognition of their immense talent and creative artistry, Duo Chinoiserie has garnered widespread media attention, with mainstream outlets such as the Arizona Daily Star and Tucson Lifestyle Magazine highlighting their captivating endeavors. Their award-winning debut album, "Chinoiserie: Building New Musical Bridges," released by Navona Records, has received high praise from music critics worldwide, acclaimed as "the most engaging anthology showcasing artistry at the highest level."

Embracing a boundless passion for innovation and the exploration of new musical forms, Duo Chinoiserie warmly welcomes collaborations that seamlessly integrate chamber music into other creative realms of performing arts. Their visionary spirit continues to reshape the landscape of contemporary music, captivating audiences worldwide with their extraordinary talent and unwavering dedication to artistic excellence.

Petrit Çeku’s sensibility and expressiveness have captivated audiences worldwide. He has performed recitals around the globe and appeared as a soloist with orchestras such as the Baltimore Symphony, Calgary Philharmonic, Czech Chamber Philharmonic, Daejeon Philharmonic, State Hermitage Orchestra of St. Petersburg, Pannon Philharmonic, and Zagreb Philharmonic. He regularly collaborates with the Zagreb Soloists and is a founding member of the Guitar Trio Elogio.

Hailed by the Calgary Herald as “an effortless player, with a strong, projecting sound,” Çeku is a first-prize winner in numerous international guitar competitions, including prestigious ones like Parkening (Malibu, USA), Schadt (Allentown, USA), Biasini (Bologna, Italy), and Pittaluga (Alessandria, Italy). He was the only classical music act in the 2018 Night of the Proms Tour with the Antwerp Philharmonic, conducted by Alexandra Arrieche, featuring pop music icons such as Bryan Ferry, Milow, Seal, and Suzanne Vega.

Born in Prizren, Kosovo, Çeku is based in Zagreb, Croatia. He graduated from the Academy of Music in Zagreb, Croatia, under the mentorship of Darko Petrinjak, and later from the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, USA, where he studied under Manuel Barrueco. Since 2019, Çeku has been teaching at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz, Austria. His recordings have been released by BuntArt, Cantus, Croatia Records, Eudora Records, and Naxos. Çeku’s album The Cello Suites, featuring complete Cello Suites by Bach, was nominated for an ICMA Award. The recording sessions for this album were the subject of the documentary film Sarabande, directed by award-winning filmmaker Kaltrina Krasniqi. Building on his collaboration with Krasniqi, Çeku later composed the original score for her feature film Vera Dreams of the Sea, which premiered at the 78th Venice Film Festival.

Petrit Çeku is a D’Addario artist and plays a Ross Gutmeier guitar.

Our holiday-inspired concert is a beloved seasonal tradition, filling the air with warmth, joy, and community spirit. Join us for a festive evening featuring the Tidewater Guitar Orchestra alongside some of Hampton Roads’ most talented guitarists and guest musicians, all set in the heart of beautiful downtown Williamsburg! Celebrate the season with music that brings us together and lifts the soul-a joyful experience for audiences and performers alike!

Acclaimed for the rare beauty of her sound and her enchanting presence on stage, Irina Kulikova is one of the most captivating guitarists in the world. Her performances span across the globe, from prominent European festivals to significant stages in North America and Asia, including iconic venues like the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Moscow's Tchaikovsky Hall, Valencia's Palau de la Musica, Tokyo's Musashino Hall, and the Oriental Arts Center in Shanghai.

Irina’s musical journey began at the tender age of five when she was introduced to the guitar and piano. Her mother, a distinguished cellist and pedagogue, was her first and most influential teacher. By the age of eight, Irina was already performing publicly, and by twelve, she had become a child prodigy, captivating audiences across Russia and impressing leading guitarists at European festivals. Her dedication to her craft led her to the Gnessins Academy in Moscow. She later graduated with high honors from both the prestigious Mozarteum University in Salzburg and the Conservatoire of Maastricht in the Netherlands.

Irina’s talent and dedication opened doors to collaborations with eminent violinists, cellists, and pianists, sparking a deep passion for chamber music. She became a member of the illustrious Salzburger Solisten’ and performed extensively with ensemble leader Luz Leskowitz and his Stradivarius, gracing stages across Austria and Germany. Her repertoire and grace earned her admiration from royal and aristocratic circles in Germany and Denmark.

Irina Kulikova received over 30 awards for her artistry, with coveted 1st prizes from the most prestigious competitions such as Michele Pittaluga in Italy, Guitarra Alhambra in Spain, Forum Gitarre Wien in Austria, and Iserlohn in Germany. She has recorded seven albums, with five under the expert guidance of Grammy-Award-winning producer, Norbert Kraft.

Beyond her performances, Irina's artistry serves as a beacon for guitar enthusiasts globally. A cherished mentor, she instills in her students and peers a profound appreciation of music, often through evocative master classes enriched with vivid imagery and wit. Her contributions extend to the inception of The Hague – Altamira Guitar Competition. Her resonant credo in life and music: "It’s about the touch."

Brazilian-born brothers Sérgio and Odair Assad have created a new standard of guitar innovation, ingenuity and expression. Their exceptional artistry and uncanny ensemble-playing come from a family rich in Brazilian musical tradition and studies under guitarist/lutenist Monina Távora, a disciple of Andrés Segovia. Their virtuosity has inspired a wide range of composers to write for them including Astor Piazzolla, Terry Riley, Radamés Gnattali, Marlos Nobre, Nikita Koshkin, Roland Dyens, Jorge Morel, Edino Krieger, and Francisco Mignone. Sérgio Assad has added to their repertoire 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 Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, Gidon Kremer and Dawn Upshaw. Odair is based in Brussels where he teaches at Ecole Supérieure des Arts, while Sérgio resides in Chicago.

The Assad Brothers began playing together at an early age and their international career began with a major prize at the 1979 Young Artists Competition in Bratislava. Their touring programs are a compelling blend of styles, periods and cultures stemming from a diverse repertoire. This includes folk, jazz and various styles of Latin music along with classical repertoire such as transcriptions of the great Baroque keyboard literature of Bach, Rameau, and Scarlatti and adaptations of works by Gershwin, Ginastera, and Debussy. 

Sérgio Assad premiered his concerto Phases with the Seattle Symphony. They have also collaborated with such notable orchestras as the Los Angeles Philharmonic, São Paulo Symphony Orchestra, and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra.  

In 2004, Sérgio and Odair arranged a special tour featuring three generations of the Assad family including their father, Jorge Assad [1924-2011], on the mandolin and the voice of their mother, Angelina Assad. GHA Records released a live recording and a DVD of the Assad family live at Brussels’ Palais des Beaux-Arts. Other highlights include being featured performers on James Newton Howard’s soundtrack to the movie Duplicity, a touring project entitled De Volta as Raizes (Back to Our Roots) with Lebanese-American singer Christiane Karam, percussionist Jamey Haddad, and composer/pianist Clarice Assad, a reunion of the Assad Family in Qatar and across, a tour and recording with Paquito D'Rivera called Dances from the New World, a tour with  jazz guitarist Romero Lubambo, and tours with Yo-Yo Ma and other musicians from the Silkroad Ensemble. 

The Assads have made a number of recordings on Nonesuch and GHA including Sérgio and Odair Assad Play Piazzolla and Jardim Abandonado, which both received Latin Grammys. They recorded Obrigado Brazil with Yo-Yo Ma with Sérgio arranging several of the works and were featured on Yo-Yo Ma’s chart topping release, Songs of Joy & Peace, alongside other guests as diverse as James Taylor and Dave Brubeck. Both recordings won Grammy awards. Sérgio Assad was also nominated for two Latin Classical Grammys as a composer for his works Interchange and Maraeaipe. 

In 2015, Sérgio and Odair celebrated their 50th anniversary as a duo. Their first ever performance together was in the fall of 1965 on a Brazilian television show called Boussaude. The celebration included a 27-city tour in Brazil followed by ten more in North America, highlighted at the 92nd Street Y in New York. The Guitar Foundation of America awarded the brothers with its Lifetime Achievement Award in June 2015. 

GRAMMY Award winner for his CD AIRE LATINO in the category of best instrumental soloist in classical music.

Honorary Doctorate in Music by the University of Arizona in Tucson in 2014.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Guitar Foundation of America in 2018.

Classical guitarist David Russell is world renowned for his superb musicianship and inspired artistry, having earned the highest praise from audiences and critics alike. In recognition of his great talent and his international career, he was named a Fellow of The Royal Academy of Music in London in 1997.

In May 2003 he was bestowed the great honor of being made "adopted son" of Es Migjorn, the town in Minorca where he grew up. Later the town named a street after him, "Avinguda David Russell".

In November 2003 he was given the Medal of Honor of the Conservatory of the Balearics.

After winning the grammy award, the town of Nigrán in Spain where he resides, gave him the silver medal of the town in an emotional ceremony.

During his studies at the Royal Academy, David Russell won twice the Julian Bream Guitar Prize. Later he won numerous international competitions, including the Andrés Segovia Competition , the José Ramírez Competition and Spain's prestigious Francisco Tárrega Competition .

David Russell spends his time touring the world, appearing regularly at prestigious halls in main cities, such as New York, London, Tokyo, Los Angeles, Madrid, Toronto or Rome. Concert-goers everywhere are in awe of his musical genius and inspired by his captivating stage presence. His love of his craft resonates through his flawless and seemingly effortless performance. The attention to detail and provocative lyrical phrasing suggest an innate understanding of what each individual composer was working to achieve, bringing to each piece a sense of adventure.

In May 2005 he received a homage from the music conservatory of Vigo, culminating with the opening of the new Auditorium, to which they gave the name "Auditorio David Russell".

In 2009 David was named an honorary member of "Amigos de la Guitarra", the oldest guitar society in Spain.

A prolific recording artist, his collection includes seventeen CDs with Telarc International.

The New York Times wrote about his performance: "... Mr. Russell made his mastery evident without ever deviating from an approach that places musical values above mere display. It was apparent to the audience throughout the recital that Mr. Russell possesses a talent of extraordinary dimension".

Upon hearing him play in London, Andrés Segovia wrote: "My congratulations on your musicality and guitaristic technique".

The TCG Showcase is the backbone of our concert season: a concert that brings together artists from our region for a concert experience devoted to the community. Join us for a performance showcasing the talented Tidewater Guitar Orchestra along with some of the best musicians in Hampton Roads.