Castellani And Andriaccio to Perform At White House

By Patricia Dononvan

Release Date: November 22, 1996 This content is archived.

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BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Buffalo's Castellani/Andriaccio Duo -- critically cited as one of the greatest guitar duos of our time -- has been invited to perform at the White House on Thursday, Dec. 19, at a private affair for invited dignitaries who will be touring the house by special invitation of the First Family.

The event, scheduled for 4 p.m., will be the first classical-guitar performance at the White House since Andre Segovia performed there in 1984.

The widely celebrated duo is comprised of Joanne Castellani, a lecturer in the University at Buffalo Department of Music, and her husband, Michael Andriaccio. Both are alumni of the UB music performance program.

"The White House left the program up to us," said Castellani, "and indicated that holiday music was not what they had in mind. We plan to perform several quadrilles by Stephen Foster arranged for two guitars, and "Grand Duo for Two Guitars" by Haydn, arranged by François Defossa.

The duo also will perform favorites from its tango collection, including "Escorregando" by Ernesto Nazareth, "Pretencioso" by Alfredo Viana, "Duo Flamenco" -- variations on an Argentine folk song -- by Co Psister and another work by Isaac Albenitz.

The compositions on the White House program have been recorded by the duo on three recent CDs. Those by Foster ("Nelly Bly," "Some Folks," "Farewell my Lily Dear" and "Cane Break") are on a CD titled "An American Idyll," scheduled for February release on Fleur de Son Records. It features the duo in performance with vocal soloist Dan McCabe and fortepianist Ron Martin, both on the faculty of the UB Department of Music.

The Haydn composition is on a second new disk by the duo, also to be released in February by Fleur de Son.

The Castellani/Andriaccio Duo is one of the foremost guitar duos in the world today and has performed to enormous critical praise on three continents. It has been the recipient of many awards and distinctions, including the National Endowment for the Arts' prestigious Solo Recitalists Fellowship.