Music of Brazil will be performed as part of Secrest Series

Classical guitarist Christopher Parkening and baritone Jubilant Sykes will perform music of Brazil and the Americas Jan. 27 at Wake Forest University.

The third concert in the 1999/2000 Secrest Artists Series will begin at 8 p.m. in Brendle Recital Hall. The program will include music by Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, two pieces by Argentinean composers, a lullaby by Cuban-born composer, Leo Brouwer and two American spirituals.

Parkening has appeared at the White House, performed with Placido Domingo on “Live from Lincoln Center” and played twice at the Grammy Awards. He has also been on “The Tonight Show,” Good Morning America,” “CBS Sunday Morning,” “The Today Show” and “20/20.”

“Guitarist Christopher Parkening evokes entire worlds of musical styles, so broad is his repertoire and so brilliant is his playing,” said the Hartford Courant.

Parkening has been a guest soloist with several American orchestras, including the Philadelphia, Cleveland and Minnesota orchestras, the Chicago, Pittsburgh and National symphony orchestras and the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Following a recent performance, The Los Angeles Times noted “Parkening is considered America’s reigning classical guitarist, carrying the torch of his mentor, the late AndrÈs Segovia.” He has received two Grammy nominations in the category of best classical recording for “Parkening and the Guitar,” and “The Pleasures of Their Company,” a collaboration with soprano Kathleen Battle.

Parkening is also a prize-winning fly fisherman. A few years ago, he won the International Gold Cup Tarpon Tournament, considered the Wimbledon of fly-fishing.

Sykes, who first performed with Parkening in 1996, debuted with the Metropolitan Opera in “Porgy and Bess” during the company’s 1990-91 season. Much in demand as a classical soloist with orchestras, he has performed under such noted conductors as Lorin Maazel, Raymond Leppard, David Zinman, Andrew Litton and Christopher Eschenbach. In October, Sykes performed with the New York Philharmonic, premiering a new work by Michael Torke.

In 1998, Sykes released “Jublilant,” a collection of 14 spirituals and hymns presented in jazz arrangements created by composer Terence Blanchard. He was named the 1996 Sacred Music USA’s vocalist of the year.

General admission tickets for the concert are $18 for adults, $13 for senior citizens and non-Wake Forest students. They are available through the Secrest Series office at 336-758-5757.

Other Secrest Artists Series events this season include: Mandinka Epic, an African Musical Theater group, and the vocal ensemble Anonymous 4.