‘Music in the Rotunda’ to feature classical guitar duet

Under the dome of Powell Library sit two UCLA alumni with classical guitars rested on their knees. As they begin to play, the two guitars interweave baroque-era melodies and the acoustic sounds swiftly bounce off the rotunda and fill the second floor of the library.

Alumnus Payam Larijani and his partner, alumna Tiffany Wu, will be performing tonight at 8 p.m. in the Powell Library rotunda as part of the “Music in the Rotunda” concert series, showcasing a range of classical guitar music from Italian baroque composer Domenico Scarlatti to the 20th-century minimalist composer Erik Satie.

Larijani, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in classical guitar performance in 2001, a major that’s been discontinued at UCLA, has played similar concerts in the Powell Library rotunda for the past decade, whether in an ensemble or, more recently, in a duet with Wu.

The juggling act of playing the classical guitar, which includes interweaving intricate melodies between multiple guitars, Larijani said, keeps the music fresh and interesting for each new performance.

“(Andrés) Segovia liked to say, ‘It’s like an entire orchestra in your hands,'” Larijani said. “The subtle nuances in tone and tambour … that whole aspect of being able to kind of smear it and improvise, and at the same time, staying true to the composer’s ideas, but putting yourself in there as well.”

Larijani and Wu first met while playing in the UCLA Guitar Ensemble, directed by adjunct associate professor of music Peter Yates. The duo began performing together in 2011. Last February, they performed as part of the same “Music in the Rotunda” series.

Larijani and Wu said performing with each other in the duet format came naturally, as they both admire the other’s ability not only to play the classical guitar skillfully, but to share the music in a way that doesn’t overshadow the other.

“A lot of guitarists don’t pay attention to other musicians,” said Wu, who graduated in 2012 from the classical guitar program. “But (someone like) Payam is rare to find. And he’s a really awesome soloist, and has a lot of experience.”

Today’s concert will begin and end with Larijani performing classical guitar solo pieces, separated by duets with Wu. Larijani said that he will start with two Spanish guitar pieces, and then add Japanese and Brazilian solo pieces to add to the diversity of the night’s showcase.

When Wu joins Larijani for the duet section, the two will begin by performing Sonata No. 55 and No. 377 by Scarlatti.

“It’s got a real intricate blend that when both people are playing, it weaves itself together really nicely,” Larijani said. “There’s a lot of interplay between the two guitars, almost like a conversation. One person will play, and the other will respond to that.”

The duo will then perform two pieces by Satie, which Larijani said contrast nicely to the finesse of Scarlatti’s baroque stylings.

“It’s not necessarily a melody that has a goal, that climaxes at the end of the song,” Larijani said. “It might even just be even throughout the whole song, kind of wallpaper-effects a room. (Satie) was going for more of a meditative state in his music.”

After the minimalist pieces of Satie, the duo will transition into “The Miller’s Dance” by Manuel de Falla, a Romantic-era composition colored by Spanish flamenco guitar.

“We wanted to personally satisfy people’s need to hear Spanish guitar and hear Spanish music on it,” Larijani said. “I feel like I have to at least give people that chance to hear that style of music, but then we also wanted to show the rest of the range of what the classical guitar can do, with the other pieces.”

The duo said they are looking forward to performing in Powell Library because of the grand reverb that will amplify their classical guitars.

“(As a student), I always thought to myself that it would be really nice (to play) inside Powell,” Larijani said. “And also just to make noise in the library, to be able to play guitar in there.”

Catherine Brown, the reference collections, exhibits and events coordinator at Powell Library who has worked with Larijani to continue the tradition of musical performances in the library, said that Larijani’s drive to perform and the complementary styles Larijani shares with Wu is what draws him back to the library again and again.

“(Larijani) just has a strong desire to share his music in an academic environment,” Brown said. “It’s just been one of our traditions to have him come every year or so.”

Larijani said it’s always a challenge to perform for an audience, but it’s one that the duet gladly accepts.

“For the audience, they can appreciate that line where we’re kind of pushing the limits of our own ability,” Larijani said. “But we’re guiding them. We’re not going to take them down a path that’s not going to lead to an enjoyable night. Hopefully it will be relaxing, and an inspiring experience.”