A luxurious night enjoying the diverse charms of the guitar
By Tsutom Nasuda
Top guitarists from various genres gathered at Kioi Hall, centered around the world-famous guitar duo, Sérgio and Odair Assad (the Assad Brothers), who were visiting Japan for the first time in over 20 years.
Denis Sungho, a Belgian of Korean descent, appeared on the opening stage. He performed in an ensemble with five string players. (Except for Kanahi Yamashita and the Assad Brothers in the second half, the guitarists had their sound slightly amplified by speakers on stage.) Sungho learned from the Assad Brothers and is a talented musician who works in a wide range of genres, from classical to pop and cutting-edge modern music. His two original compositions and “Indigo” are lyrical and romantic masterpieces. Sungho’s guitar has a rich sound, and the music is bold and passionate. The crescendo from the softest tremolo in “Asturias,” the sharp chords that sound like driving in a wedge, and the use of string instruments in the arrangement are impressive.
The second stage was the inter-genre unit TRES, consisting of classical musician Ohagi, flamenco musician Oki, and jazz musician Yosuke Onuma. Onuma and Oki performed their own compositions, Sérgio Assad’s “Invitation,” and a tango-style piece by French-Tunisian composer Dyens. All three performed trios, but they all had different instruments, stances, and playing styles. Their musical idioms are different to begin with. They each took solos and accompanied in their own style, but as the songs progressed, they converged into one music at a high level. The three also had fun MC segments between songs, talking a lot about the charms of the Assad brothers.
The third stage was a solo by Kanahi Yamashita. Her concentration was incredible. When “Variations à travers les siècles” began, she leaned her face toward the neck, as if immersed in the sound of the guitar. Her supple fingers, refined tone, and delicate sonority were modeled. She played Barrios’ “Cancion de la Hilandera” with smooth tremolo and emotional phrasing. The highlight was Bach’s “Chaconne.” She played at a fairly slow tempo, letting each note sink into her heart. Her phrases were endlessly refined, and her tremolo delicate. She showed high artistry with natural agogics and a stable sense of structure, while at the same time breathing her own expression into every moment.
And finally, the Assad brothers on the main stage. They played the Bandoneón & Zita from Suite troileana, which could be said to be a homage to Piazzolla’s teacher. The sound of their guitars was surprisingly loud. At first glance, it seems that both of them are playing as they please, but the points, emotions, and spirit of the song are perfectly matched. The powerful rhythm and agogic fluctuations are rich in Latin joy. ” Valsa & Corta jaca ” is light and elegant, and the tone is colorful. In “Dyens en trois Temps” and “Palhaço & Baião malandro”, written in various styles such as jazz, chanson, and tango, the Assad brothers’ current strong music and ensemble skills are demonstrated. After finishing the last “Tahhiyya li ossoulina”, the two of them left the stage with their arms around each other’s shoulders. With the quiet afterglow of the encore “Goodbye”, the concert, which lasted about 2 hours and 45 minutes, including two breaks, ended.
Performance Data
THE GUITARIST! Sérgio & Odair Assad Tokyo Guitar Festival 2025
Thursday, April 24th, 18:30 Nippon Steel Kioi Hall
Denis Sungho with String Quintet (Violin: Karen Kido, Ryota Higashi, Viola: Kyoko Shoda, Cello: Masanori Yabe, Contrabass: Ken Otsuki)
TRES (Flamenco guitar: Jin Oki, Classical guitar: Yasuji Ohagi, Jazz guitar: Yosuke Onuma)
Kanahi Yamashita
Sérgio & Odair Assad
Program:
Denis Sungho with String Quintet
Denis Sungho: La Nuit (The Night), Letter
Yiruma: Indigo
Isaac Albéniz: Asturias
TRES
Yosuke Onuma: Flyway
Jin Oki: Fantasma II
Sérgio Assad: “Invitation” from the suite “Summer Garden”
Roland Dyens: Tango en Sky
Kanahi Yamashita
Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco: Variations à travers les siècles
Agustín Barrios: Cancion de la Hilandera
J.S. Bach: Chaconne (Final movement of Partita No. 2 for solo violin)
Sérgio & Odair Assad
Astor Piazzolla: Bandoneón & Zita （from Suite troileana）
Radamés Gnattali: Valsa & Corta jaca
Sérgio Assad: Dyens en trois Temps, Tahhiyya li ossoulina
Egberto Gismonti: Palhaço & Baião malandro
Encore (Sérgio & Odair Assad)
Sérgio Assad: “Goodbye” from “Summer Garden”
