When two of the most decorated titans of the classical guitar joined forces in the 90s, the result was nothing short of a historical musical event. Aniello Desiderio and Zoran Dukić represent the pinnacle of contemporary guitar performance, blending Neapolitan fire and passion with Slavic precision to create a duo partnership defined by “spectacular virtuosity” and “profound maturity.”

Combined, their trophy cabinets hold the world’s most prestigious honors, including double victories at the “Andrés Segovia” and Tárrega competitions, as well as the “Guerrero” International Competition in Madrid. Their collaboration brings together two distinct yet complementary musical philosophies, creating a concert experience that has left audiences on their feet from the end of the very first piece.

The Artists

Aniello Desiderio
Hailed since childhood as “il Fenomeno” and the “Orpheus of the guitar,” Desiderio is a Neapolitan virtuoso who graduated with honors from the Conservatory of Music in Alessandria. A regular soloist at Carnegie Hall and the Berlin Philharmonie, he has been a preferred collaborator for legends such as Lorin Maazel and John McLaughlin. His playing is characterized by a “genius” level of expression that earned him the “Artist in Residence Award” from German Radio DLF.

Zoran Dukić
Regarded as one of the most distinguished classical guitarists of our time, Dukić is a master of stylistic versatility. From his “tour de force” competition years to his deep dedication to the works of J.S. Bach and Piazzolla, his performances are noted for their “powerful inspiration” and the ability to reach a definitive and unique interpretation which makes fans of the instrument or even the expert music listeners familiar with the musical works, walk away with new found appreciation for the art.

Notably, he was the first non-Spaniard to be awarded the special prize for the best interpretation of Spanish music in Madrid, a testament to his “astounding mastery” of the instrument’s core repertoire.

Critical Acclaim
The international press has been unanimous in its praise for these two masters: “Always the master of his instrument, Dukić demonstrated spectacular virtuosity over and over again together with a great maturity and powerful inspiration.” 
— Il Gazzettino, Italy

“A guitarist of the century… il Fenomeno.”
— Music Critics on Desiderio

“A thrilling concert… the audience was on its feet already after the first piece… a phenomenal evening.”
— Gevelsberger Zeitung, Germany

Global Presence and Pedagogy
Both artists maintain a rigorous global touring schedule, appearing as soloists with the world’s leading orchestras, including the Virtuosi di Mosca, RSO Berliner, Vancouver Symphony, Oregon, and the Istanbul State Symphony, to name a few recent engagements, while invited back annually to Rhine Guitar Festival & Academy 2026 (formerly Koblenz).

Beyond the stage, they are two of the most sought-after educators in the world. Desiderio serves as a professor at the University of Music in Avellino and is invited for regular masterclasses at the Koblenz Festival, Mozarteum in Salzburg and many other universities and conservatories throughout Europe, while Dukić is often invited to similar prestigious festivals and continues to inspire the next generation through his extensive premiering of contemporary works by composers such as Takemitsu, Henze, and Gubaidulina.

Together, Desiderio and Dukić offer a program that spans the history of the guitar—from the Baroque precision of Bach to the rhythmic intensity of South American Tangos—delivered with a level of technical authority that only two “masters of the century” can provide.

Desiderio and Dukić are sponsored by D’Addario Strings and record with GuitarCoOp.

Multifaceted guitarist Meng Su is captivating audiences around the world with her stunning virtuosity and refined artistry. New York Concert Review called her performance “seemingly effortless and stunningly polished…. Add to that a beautiful – and fashionable! – stage presence, and she is poised to be in high demand” while Classical Guitar Magazine wrote that “she has already reached the status of a seasoned artist.”

​In addition to her busy solo career, Meng Su is an avid chamber musician who tours regularly in the Beijing Guitar Duo and as a soloist with orchestras. Ms. Su has performed in over 30 different countries around the world in halls such as the Concertgebouw, Palau de Musica, Tchaikovsky Hall and the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing.In 2023, she created and debuted the guitar show "Spanish Fantasia" in Shanghai. It is the first-ever multimedia guitar theatre show of its kind, paving the way for the future of classical music performances.

Meng Su’s performances and recordings have impressed the public with “an ability and artistry that exceeds her years.” (Baltimore Sun) Her debut duo CD “Maracaípe” received a Latin Grammy nomination for the titled piece, which was dedicated to the Duo by renowned guitarist/composer Sergio Assad. Their second CD, “Bach to Tan Dun,” a "must-listen" according to composer Tan Dun, has been widely noted for the world-premiere recording of his “Eight Memories in Watercolor.” A recording in trio, “China West,” with Maestro Barrueco and the Beijing Guitar Duo was released in May 2014 to critical acclaim. Meng Su’s debut solo recording “Meng,” released in 2016 was called “awe-inspiring” and “this year’s finest debut by far” by Classical Guitar Magazine.

Born in Qingdao, China, Meng Su began studying the guitar at the age of 5 and showed her talents from an early age under the guidance of Prof. Chen Zhi at the Central Conservatory in Beijing. Meng Su has won first-prize in numerous international competitions around the world, the last one being in the prestigious Parkening International Guitar competition in 2015. She graduated with an Artist Diploma, a Master’s Degree and Graduate Diploma in Chamber Music with Maestro Manuel Barrueco at the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University.

Meng Su teaches at The San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and she is the Artist-in-residence for the Baltimore Classical Guitar Society.

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 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!

Ana Vidović is an extraordinary talent with formidable gifts, taking her place among the world’s elite musicians. She is known for her beautiful tone, precise technique, well-defined phrasing and thoughtful artistry and musicianship. 

Ms. Vidović has an unmatched YouTube presence with her performance of Asturias garnering over 50 million views.  She has performed in the most prestigious concert halls worldwide, including the Teatro Farnese in Parma, Wiener Musikverein, Kings Place in London, Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, 92Y in NYC, the Philharmonie de Paris, and Suntory Hall in Tokyo.

North American festival appearances include Le Domaine Forget (Quebec), International Guitar Festival (London), Big Sky, Montana, Caramoor Festival (Katonah, NY), Colorado Music Festival, Lake Tahoe Summerfest and Ventura Music Festival (CA); and in Europe at Madrid International Guitar Festival, Mediterranean Guitar Festival (Barcelona), Festival Iberico Badajoz. New Ross Festival (Wexford, Ireland), and Drôme Guitar Festival (Valence, France). 

Ana Vidović’s 2025-26 season included recitals at Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw,  London Guitar Festival at King’s Place, Athens, Aachen and Ottobrunn (Germany) and Philadelphia   Her 2026-27 season North American engagements include recitals in Seattle, Toronto, Baltimore, Austin, San Francisco, Washington, DC and New York City’s 92nd St. Y; and overseas in Athens, Hamburg, Bulle and Zug (Switzerland), Toulouse and Valence (France) as well as several cities in Italy including Pescara, Aosta and Carpi.    Accentus Records plans to release a limited vinyl recording of Ms. Vidović’s performance of Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez with Orquesta Valencia. 

Ms. Vidović has won an impressive number of prizes and international competitions including first prizes in the Albert Augustine International Competition in Bath, England, the Fernando Sor competition in Rome and the Francisco Tárrega competition in Spain. In Croatia, the guitarist has performed with Symphony Orchestra of the Croatian Radio and Television, as well as having been featured in three television documentaries by the eminent Croatian film director Petar Krelja.   Ana Vidović comes from the small town of Karlovac near Zagreb, Croatia where she began playing guitar at age 5.   She became the youngest student at 13 to attend the prestigious National Musical Academy in Zagreb where she studied with Professor Istvan Romer. Ms. Vidović’s reputation in Europe led to an invitation to study at the Peabody Conservatory from which she graduated.

Virgile Barthe is regarded as one of the most promising emerging artists on the classical guitar scene. He began his studies at the Toulouse Conservatory under the guidance of Benoît Albert before being admitted, at the age of 17, to the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris. There, he is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in the class of Judicaël Perroy. He has also benefited from the mentorship of distinguished guitarists including Gabriel Bianco and Olivier Chassain.

An award-winning musician, Barthe gained international recognition at an early age, earning major distinctions from the age of 16. In 2024, he was awarded First Prize at the prestigious Maurizio Biasini International Competition, appearing as a soloist with the Sinfonieorchester Basel. The following year, he secured top prizes at both the Koblenz International Guitar Competition (Germany) and the Guitar Foundation of America International Concert Artist Competition (USA), two of the most esteemed competitions in the classical guitar world.

Regularly invited to perform at leading international festivals, Virgile Barthe is acclaimed for the refinement of his musical interpretation and the breadth of his repertoire, which spans from the Baroque period to contemporary works. He also performs in a flute–guitar duo with flutist Lucie Fischer.

Virgile plays a Adrian Heinzelmann guitar with Knobloch strings.

Instagram @virgile_barthe

Grammy-winner Jason Vieaux, “among the elite of today's classical guitarists” (Gramophone), is described by NPR as “perhaps the most precise and soulful classical guitarist of his generation”.

In appearances from New York’s Lincoln Center to Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw and the Seoul Arts Center, Jason Vieaux has cemented his reputation as an artist of brilliance and uncompromised mastery. Cited for his “eloquent and vibrant performances” on disc (Gramophone Magazine) he is hailed as “virtuosic, flamboyant, dashing and, sometimes ineffably lyrical” (New York Times) on stage.

Sought-after for his extensive concerto repertoire, Vieaux has performed with a long list of orchestras including Cleveland, Toronto, St. Louis, Houston, Columbus, and has made premiere recordings with the Nashville Symphony (Leshnoff Concerto) and the Norrköping Symphony (Beal Six Sixteen). He has worked with renowned conductors including Giancarlo Guerrero, Jahja Ling, Gerard Schwarz, and David Robertson. Vieaux’s passion for new music has fostered premieres from Jeff Beal, Avner Dorman, Vivian Fung, Pierre Jalbert, Jonathan Leshnoff, David Ludwig, Mark Mancina, and Dan Visconti, among many others.

Vieaux’s extensive discography includes his “Bach Volume 2: Works for Violin” released on Azica in 2022 to rave reviews for his “eloquent and vibrant performances” (Gramophone). Additional 2022 releases include “Shining Night” featuring his duo with acclaimed violinist Anne Akiko Meyers (Avie Records) and Michael Fine’s “Concierto del Luna” with flutist Alexa Still (Sony Classical), both enjoying strong critical acclaim. Vieaux recorded Pat Metheny’s “Four Paths of Light”, a solo work dedicated to him by Pat, for Metheny’s 2021 album “Road to the Sun”. Jason Vieaux won the 2014 Best Instrumental Classical Solo Grammy Award for “Play”. The Huffington Post declared PLAY is “part of the revitalized interest in the classical guitar”.

A busy touring performer, Jason Vieaux enjoys repeated invitations from distinguished series, including San Francisco Performances, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, and the 92nd Street Y, among others. Festival engagements include Ravinia, Caramoor, Domaine-Forget, Music@Menlo, Round Top, and the Eastern Music Festival. Overseas performance venues include Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, Seoul Arts Center, Shanghai Concert Hall, Sala Sao Paolo, and Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires.

Jason Vieaux enjoys ongoing performing and recording collaborations with the Escher String Quartet, mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke, violinist Anne Akiko Meyers, harpist Yolanda Kondonassis, accordion/bandoneon virtuoso Julien Labro, and saxophone virtuoso Timothy McAllister.

In 2011 Vieaux co-founded the guitar department at the Curtis Institute of Music (with David Starobin). The youngest winner in the history of the Guitar Foundation of America Competition, Vieaux has taught at the Cleveland Institute of Music for 25 years. Jason’s online Guitar School for Artistworks Inc. has hundreds of subscribers from all over the world. He plays a guitar by Gernot Wagner, 2013, made in Frankfurt.

For more information, visit jasonvieaux.com.

Acclaim

“Vieaux ... makes everything look and sound easy. An uncommonly relaxed figure onstage, he seems immersed entirely in the moment. Every note comes out fully formed, but nothing he does feels premeditated, and the music, just a little understated, speaks eloquently for itself.” – Washington Post

“virtuosic, flamboyant, dashing and, sometimes ineffably lyrical.” – The New York Times

“...perhaps the most precise and soulful classical guitarist of his generation.” – NPR

“…among the elite of today’s classical guitarists.” – Gramophone

“faultless delivery... even the arpeggiated chords resound as a solitary line.” - DownBeat

“Classical guitarist Jason Vieaux's new recording Play is part of the revitalized interest in the classical guitar.” – The Huffington Post

"This terrific guitarist, a Philadelphia favorite, worked wonders with Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez... he played with elegance and fine-tuned precision… a marvel." – The Philadelphia Inquirer

“...one of America's premier guitarists... Vieaux's performance spun magic. Rarely has a single instrument so clearly painted such cinematic vistas and searching introspection.” – Fort-Worth Star-Telegram

“a substantially gifted guitarist whose playing revealed equal portions of stylistic elegance and technical polish.” – The Baltimore Sun

“Vieaux showed why he is among the most talented guitarists of his generation, a player whose effortless technique and fluidity gave the concerto a singing voice.” – Tampa Tribune

“I have never heard anyone with Vieaux ’s subtlety. Vieaux ’s articulation is faultless and more importantly, it is endlessly varied. And he has a tremendous dynamic range. Just to hear him play something simple, like a scale, is a delight.” – The Buffalo News

“Vieaux's talent is so huge, and has been apparent for so long... He is still the most accomplished guitarist I have heard with my own ears, and that's a list that starts with Segovia.” – Absolute Sound

"Well, if [Infusion] is not a huge hit for Jason Vieaux and company, I will be thoroughly shocked – because this disc is a boatload of fun, not to mention that the playing is spectacular from all involved." – Soundboard Magazine

"there was something special about the way Vieaux handled the Prelude, Fugue and Allegro, BWV 998 that I have difficulty articulating. It was more than just the natural smoothness and utterly rhythmic command with which he executed it; it was also the deep feeling he communicated with little vibrato touches throughout. He is a truly special player." Classical Guitar Magazine

“Vieaux is a complete master of the guitar; it is simply a tool he uses to convey the essence of the music – flamboyant, introverted, festive, or gloomy – all played with complete authority” – Classical Voice North Carolina

“Jason Vieaux and accordionist Julien Labro took the stage of the Herbst Theatre on October 20 for a spectacular demonstration of how many ways their two instruments could converse, conspire, and ultimately soar with one another…. with each selection showcasing the palpable delight each of them takes in playing as a duo.” San Francisco Classical Voice

“Vieaux proved to be an ideal soloist, playing fast music (especially in the Spanish-flavored finale) with dash and slow passages with warm feeling.” [Leshnoff’s Guitar Concerto] – American Record Guide

"Vieaux and Cooke brought committed professionalism to each item on the menu...Vieaux was attentive to every change in mood and texture...Who needs a piano when a fine guitarist can do the job so eloquently?" – Cleveland Classical

"The highlight of the two concerts I attended was the return of guitarist Jason Vieaux...Vieaux is certainly one of the best classical guitarists before the public today. He is indeed a great artist on his instrument, playing with nuance, great confidence and musicality." – Sarasota Observer

"While their combination of instruments [guitar and bandoneon] may seem to be a mismatch, for the past ten years the duo has proven that talented players with like-minded musical esthetics can yield amazing results." – Cleveland Classical

"With an exquisitely hushed orchestra to back him, Vieaux played this intimate rhapsodic and intensely romantic three-movement work beautifully. His unamplified tone rang clearly through Dana Auditorium, and his impeccably clean technique elucidated this somewhat meandering piece. [Castelnuovo’s Guitar Concerto]" – Greensboro News & Review

"This was a show-stopping performance. Both Vieaux and Armstrong played this amazing and difficult piece from memory with passion, patience, introspection and extraversion. It was indeed a far-ranging conversation played by two virtuosi with gorgeous tone and expression on each instrument. [Astor Piazzolla’s Histoire du Tango] – Greensboro News & Review

"Violist Chauncey Patterson and cellist Julian Schwarz joined Vieaux for a delightful performance...Vieaux's crisp, clear articulation was deeply satisfying. [Terzetto concertante in D, Op. 68, MS 114]" – Classical Voice North Carolina

"this performance was brilliantly interpreted...The pure sound of Vieaux's unamplified guitar was a constant pleasure...Vieaux and Armstrong were rewarded with a prolonged standing ovation. [Astor Piazzolla’s Histoire du Tango]" – Classical Voice North Carolina

“Vieaux played Antônio Carlos Jobim’s A Felicidade, navigating the familiar melody with rich tone and musical sophistication. He’d toss off virtuoso runs with his signature ease, looking as if, in all the fun, he hadn’t noticed the flurry of notes issuing from the instrument in his hands.” – Strings Magazine

"By this point, the audience had grown accustomed to Vieaux’s flawless and seemingly effortless technique. That did not, however, make it any less extraordinary. [Piazzolla's Histoire du Tango]" – Strings Magazine

"Staring steadily at his left hand, Vieaux offered a flawless performance ... His beat was remarkably steady, and his melodic flair engaging. [Jobim's A Felicidade]” – San Francisco Classical Voice

“Despite the fact that Vieaux probably performs the difficult concerto a dozen or more times a season, his performance was as fresh and briskly detailed as it was confidently and solidly rendered. [Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez]” – Arts Knoxville

“The concerto is charming, lyrical and beautifully performed on this new Naxos release. [Leshnoff’s Guitar Concerto]” – Gramophone

“A work of beauty and virtuosity, the lyrical writing and imitative exchanges between the guitar and orchestra are complimented with beautiful orchestration. Vieaux’s musical phrasing, articulation, and tone shine on this exquisite recording. [Leshnoff’s Guitar Concerto]” – This is Classical Guitar

“The vibrant, three movement work proves no easy task for the performer but Vieaux’s clarity is exceptional considering Leshnoff has written many bright runs in the upper register and descending arpeggio passages.” – Music City Review

“a stunning virtuoso showcase for soloist Jason Vieaux. [Leshnoff’s Guitar Concerto]” – WFMT

"A better classical guitarist than Grammy-winner Vieaux would be hard to find for the [Leshnoff] Guitar Concerto..." – Textura

“Guitarist Jason Vieaux excels with clean, clear lines” [Leshnoff’s Guitar Concerto] – AllMusic

For more information, visit www.jasonvieaux.com

Contact:

Public Relations: JVO Artists, Cory Roberts, hello@jvoartists.com

Management: Jonathan Wentworth Associates Ltd., Martha Woods, Martha@Jwentworth.com

The TCG Showcase is the backbone of our concert season: a celebration that brings together artists from
across our region for a concert experience devoted to the community. Join us at the historic Wells Theatre for a performance showcasing the talented Tidewater Guitar Orchestra alongside some of the best musicians in Hampton Roads. It is a spirited finale to a season built around connection, collaboration, and the extraordinary range of the guitar.