João Luiz on Rhythm and Metronome

Two time Latin Grammy nominee guitarist, educator, and composer João
Luiz, began to play the popular music of his native Brazil professionally
during his childhood and was later trained in classical guitar by his
mentor Henrique Pinto. Winner of the 2006 Concert Artists Guild
Competition as a member of the critically acclaimed Brasil Guitar Duo,
João has performed extensively in the United States, Asia, Europe and
Latin America. As a performer and composer João is equally at home
with classical, Brazilian and world music; his solo guitar, guitar
ensemble and chamber music repertoire covers all the main works in the
guitar literature from Dowland to Berio and Brazilian rhythms from
Choro to Baião. His versatility led him to be chosen to collaborate with
Yo-Yo Ma and Carlos Prieto on a project to celebrate the 75th
anniversary of the Cuban composer Leo Brouwer in a landmark concert
in Cuba in 2014.

His arrangements and compositions have been recorded and played by
Marina Piccinini, Fábio Zanon, Paulo Martelli, Quaternaglia, Olson/De
Cari Duo, Paquito D’Rivera, Clarice Assad, Parker String Quartet,
Bridget Kibbey, Sybarite 5, The Newman & Oltman guitar duo,
Aquarelle Guitar Quartet, and the New York City Classical Guitar
Society. João has recorded more than thirteen CDs playing solo, duo,
trio and in quartet, most of which have featured his arrangements of
classical or Brazilian works. João holds a masters degree from Mannes
College as a student of Michael Newman, and as the recipient of the
Augustine Foundation scholarship he earned his doctoral degree from
Manhattan School of Music where he studied with David Leisner.
Eager to expand the repertoire of his instrument João has commissioned
and premiered works written for him by Sérgio Assad, Leo Brouwer,
Clarice Assad, David Leisner, Paulo Bellinati, Marco Pereira, David
Sampson, and Frederic Hand. João is the director of chamber music at
CUNY Hunter College and also teaches guitar at Stony Brook
University. João plays on Sérgio Abreu guitars and uses Augustine
Strings.