The Soirée performances aren't by the Philharmonic itself. Rather, the performers are guest soloists or duos performing in the intimate setting of an elegant private residence. As I entered the huge foyer of tonight's venue, the home of Laurence Hallier in the Spanish Hills neighborhood, it looked as if the entire Philharmonic could have performed here. Better still, the acoustics in the room were perfect for tonight's musical guests.
After the several dozen guests were seated, the boys started with Antonio Vivaldi's lovely 'Concerto in D Major for Two Guitars'. Celino's melody overlapped wonderfully with Lito's lower counterpoint. The third movement was somewhat lively, but the overall tone of this piece was pure old-world grace. When I hear it I picture grapes ripening in morning sunshine as dew glistens on the vines. "Can we adjust the air conditioning? The guitars are going crazy." Celino was retuning his guitar for a solo piece as Lito left the small stage. Acoustic guitars are surprisingly sensitive to the climate around them. Later that evening Celino told several of us how he likes to take his surfboard and his cheap "beach guitar" down to the shore near his home for an afternoon of surfing and practicing. Good thing he didn't take up piano; can you imagine tuning one of those on the beach? Spanish guitar music is known for its emotional range, from slow and introspective to frenetic and ardent. The 'Suite Española' by Gaspar Sanz is perfectly named, as it sounds so distinctly Spanish that you can taste the sangria. The suite spent its first two movements out for a quiet stroll, as if contemplating a perfect sunset in Andalucia, and then skipped home like a happy niño in the third movement, ending with the warm glow of rosy cheeks. "Celino's going to go watch the rest of the game," Lito joked as his cousin left the room for Lito's first solo piece. Okay, so the end of summer signals two new seasons: great classical music and the baseball playoffs. Call it the World Soirées or the Fall Classical - your choice.
Celino returned to dedicate Sebastian Iradier's 'La Poloma' to his late grandfather. One of his uncles had played this beautiful, operatic-sounding piece for the dying Celedonio and greatly moved the old man, and it seemed very important to Celino that he play it for his audiences. We loved it as well. Two very famous composers, Manuel de Falla and Enrique Granados, were featured as well. The two cousins played de Falla's stately 'Dance of the Corregidor' and Granados' haunting 'Oriental'. Then they concluded the program with grandfather Celedonio's 'Zapateado', a whimsical, fun piece in a fast 6/8 time signature. Encore! The house's front door having been blocked by music lovers, the boys couldn't escape without an extra treat for us. They played 'Noche en Málaga', composed by Celedonio at age 15, according to Celino. This piece flowed gracefully and featured nice solo interludes by the two players. Then they surprised us with one more song, bursting into an energetic improvisation of flamenco dance music. Celino led with the melody, and Lito watched him for cues as he provided the harmony and percussion. As the song drew toward its end, the guitarists leaned ever closer together, intent on each  other's playing, until the big final flourish. Cries of "Ooohh!", "Wow!", and "Oh, my!" were heard all over the room.Such is the power of great live classical music. The Soirée series is intended to raise funds for the Las Vegas Philharmonic's ambitious musical program, so tickets are somewhat expensive. However, the exclusive concerts are quite memorable and well worth the cost. Upcoming Philharmonic performances include November 15 and December 13-14, and the next Soirée performance will be held on February 11, 2004 - long after baseball season has ended. — By Robert LaGrone, Las Vegas Entertainment Jetsetters Magazine Editor.
   
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