If it Ain’t Baroque, But It Is

Be transported Wednesday Jan. 30, to Spain and Latin America, when music was as opulent as the commissioned paintings and sculptures of the Old World.

Nominated for a 2011 Grammy Award, winner of Diapason d’Or (the French Grammy Award), and recipient of a 10 du Repertoire, Richard Savino and the El Mundo ensemble will create surreal atmospheric sounds with guitars, lute, harpsichord and vocals.

The music is simply lush.

Savino and his ensemble will exemplify Latin American, Spanish and Italian chamber music from the 16th to 19th centuries. Attendees will experience vocal trills, harmonies and instrumentation of the past.

Initially, Savino’s first love was the trumpet. However, as a youth, after seeing the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show, Savino became a devotee to the guitar.

Since then, Savino amazes audiences on the lute, theorbo and Baroque guitar. For those that may not have seen a theorbo, you’ll recognize it being plucked once its onstage. It’s the huge, long necked stringed instrument.

Savino will perform from 7:30 p.m. at the University of Hawai’i at Hilo’s Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $20 general, $16 for seniors and $10 for students.

Call 974-7310 for more information.