Duo Fuoco: Fiery, Light and Now Half-Humboldt

“Duo Fuoco” means “two fires,” and in its concert on Friday, April 3 at Fulkerson Recital Hall, Duo Fuoco plays some fiery music for guitar and flute.

Though based in San Francisco, Duo Fuoco is now one-half Humboldt. While guitarist Jacob Kramer is still in the Bay Area, Laura Snodgrass is teaching flute in the HSU Department of Music.

Duo Fuoco’s recent appearances won praise from the San Francisco Examiner (“rhythmically punchy, spicy performance”) and the San Francisco Classical Voice (“An engaging, exciting performance by a promising new force in classical music.”)

Their April 3 program features the fiery tangos of 20th century Argentine composer Astor Piazolla, in his History of the Tango. It suggests how tango would be played in a 1900 bordello, a 1930 café and a 1960 nightclub.

They will also perform Adelita and Lagrima by 20th century Spanish guitarist Francisco Tarrega and Prelude #2 by Heitor Villa-Lobos, considered Brazil’s most significant 20th century composer.

But fiery isn’t the only mood. They play "Deep Blue" by contemporary composer Libby Larsen, who has described it as “quiet and lyrical.” Duo Fuoco follows it with Larsen’s “Salt Peanuts,” based on a 1945 jazz tune by Dizzy Gillespie and Kenny Clark. The program also includes selections from three modern French composers: Claude Debussy (his 1913 flute composition, Syrinx), Edgard Varese (his 1936 Density 21.5, also originally for flute) and Jacques Ibert (who also directed the Paris Opera-Comique.)

Duo Fuoco guitarist Kramer studied with San Francisco guitarist and composer Dusan Bogdanovic, and for this concert the Duo will perform the prelude to Bogdanovic’s recent ballet, “The Crow.”

In addition to teaching at HSU, Laura Snodgrass has performed with the Eureka Symphony as well as the Contemporary Chamber Orchestra and Monterey Symphony. She has won awards from the National Music Teacher’s Association, National Woodwind Concerto Competition, and National Public Radio Young Artists Competition.

Duo Fuoco performs on Friday, April 3 at 8 p.m. in the Fulkerson Recital Hall on the HSU campus in Arcata. Tickets are $8 general, $3 students/seniors, from the HSU Ticket Office (826-3928) or at the door.

Media: Humboldt State Now.