Brazilian guitarists the Assads in concert April 26, 2009

San Francisco Performances, in association with Omni Foundation for the Performing Arts, presents gifted Brazilian guitarists, brothers Sergio and Odair Assad in recital.

The program features an original composition by Sergio, "Tahiya li Ossoulina," winner of a 2007 Latin Grammy. Although they were born in Brazil, the Assads are of Lebanese descent, and the piece pays homage to that background; the title could be translated as "back to our roots." The pair also won a Latin Grammy for their 2001 Nonesuch release "Sergio and Odair Assad Play Piazzolla."

Also on the program for the Herbst concert are works by Albeniz, Piazzolla, Villa-Lobos, Gnattali, Brouwer, Jobim and Gismonti.

The Assads began playing guitar together at an early age and went on to study with Monina Tavora, a disciple of Andres Segovia. Odair is based in Brussels, where he teaches at the Ecole Superieure des Arts, while Sergio lives in Paris and San Francisco, where he is on the faculty of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

The brothers frequently collaborate with cellist Yo-Yo Ma and were featured - along with other guest artists such as James Taylor and Dave Brubeck - on his 2008 release "Songs of Joy and Peace." The Assads have also toured and recorded with Nadja Solerno-Sonnenberg and are featured on the soundtrack of the film "Duplicity," starring Julia Roberts and Clive Owen.

$42/$32.

Official Website: http://www.performances.org