The Cavatina Duo, comprised of Spanish flutist Eugenia Moliner and Bosnian guitarist Denis Azabagić, is widely recognized as one of the world’s foremost flute and guitar duos.

Celebrated for their virtuosity, expressive depth, and profound musical rapport, their performances have captivated audiences across the globe and garnered accolades from leading music critics.

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Yuri Liberzon is an internationally acclaimed classical guitarist and recording artist known for his remarkable technical command, expressive depth, and refined musicality. Born in Novosibirsk, Russia and raised in Israel, he has performed extensively throughout the United States at major venues, universities, and guitar societies. His playing is praised for its clarity, warmth, precision, and rich sense of color, combining effortless technique with thoughtful musical expression. A graduate of the Peabody Conservatory and Yale University, Liberzon brings a broad artistic range to the stage, with repertoire spanning Bach, Piazzolla, the Beatles, Keith Jarrett, and his own published transcriptions.

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An Evening of Renaissance Music

Presented in cooperation with Utopia Early Music.

Emily Nelson's passion for music of all kinds has led her down diverse paths. In 2009, she co-founded Utopia Early Music, a group that presents concerts of medieval, renaissance, and baroque music. Apart from early music, Emily's favorite use for her "clear, pure soprano" is in the portrayal of coloratura sidekicks and supernatural beings. Emily holds degrees in voice, music history, and early music performance, and teaches at The University of Utah and Westminster College.

John Lenti specializes in music of the seventeenth century and has made basso continuo improvisation on lute, theorbo, and baroque guitar the cornerstone of a career that encompasses chamber music, recitals, and work for opera companies and orchestras both modern and baroque.

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Dr. Ben Lougheed is a classical guitarist, educator, and recording artist known for performances described as polished, passionate, and engaging. Praised for his virtuosic technique, lyric beauty, and high level of artistry, Lougheed has performed throughout the United States for presenters including Interlochen Arts Academy, Guitar Sarasota, Kerrytown Concert House, and the Dale Mabry Guitar Series. His multifaceted career includes concert performance, teaching, entrepreneurship, and community engagement, including founding the Florida Guitar Festival and releasing the acclaimed albums Baroque Legacies and Dancing on Six Strings.

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Manuel Barrueco is internationally recognized as one of the most important classical guitarists of our time, celebrated for his elegant musicianship, seductive sound, and uncommon lyrical gifts. His distinguished career has taken him to major concert halls and musical centers throughout the world.

Known for remarkable refinement, expressive depth, and effortless command, Barrueco brings clarity, warmth, and profound musical insight to a wide-ranging repertoire. A Grammy- and Latin Grammy-nominated recording artist, dedicated teacher at the Peabody Conservatory, and recipient of the United States Artists Fontanals Fellowship for Artistic Excellence, Barrueco has helped define and expand the role of the classical guitar on the world stage.

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2026.10.09

Cavatina Duo

Cavatina Duo - Eugenia Moliner (flute) and Denis Azabagić (guitar)

Michelle Willis - guest violist

Date: Friday, October 9, 2026

Time: 7:30pm

Location: Regent Street Black Box Theater at the Eccles

144 South Regent Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84111

Workshop: Saturday, October 10, 2026

Time: 11:00 am

Location: Glendale Library

1375 S. Concord St (1240 West), SLC

Register here

The Cavatina Duo, comprised of Spanish flutist Eugenia Moliner and Bosnian guitarist Denis Azabagić, is widely recognized as one of the world’s foremost flute and guitar duos. Celebrated for their virtuosity, expressive depth, and profound musical rapport, their performances have captivated audiences across the globe and garnered accolades from leading music critics.

Their artistry has been praised by Gramophone magazine, which wrote: “Moliner is a flautist of tonal purity and dexterity who brings consummate taste to every phrase in tandem with Azabagić’s glistening guitar… the interpretation finds the duo at the height of their musical powers.” In another review, Gramophone noted, “Eugenia Moliner casts a shimmering spell… her lines dancing with a youthful innocence over Denis Azabagić’s gently pulsing chords. The result is effortlessly beguiling.”

In addition to Gramophone, they have been lauded by numerous specialized publications including Flute Talk, Soundboard, Chamber Music America, Ritmo, and Scherzo, all highlighting the duo’s technical excellence, dedication to contemporary repertoire, and emotional connection with audiences.
They have performed in prestigious venues around the world, such as the National Centre for the Performing Arts in China, Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow, Ravinia Festival in Chicago, Da Camera Society in Los Angeles, Aix-en-Provence Summer Festival in France, the Oriental Art Center in Shanghai, and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.

Eugenia Moliner has been described by Flute Talk as “an artist of the highest caliber.” She has appeared as a soloist with orchestras including the Lanyang Symphony, Chicago Sinfonietta, and Camerata Serbica, and has collaborated with internationally renowned musicians and ensembles such as Stefan Ragnar Höskuldsson, Mathieu Dufour, the Avalon and Pacifica Quartets, and the Aspen Trio. Her discography includes 13 albums, most recently Song to the Moon, a piano collaboration featuring works by Mahler, Schubert, and Medtner.

Denis Azabagić is considered one of the most distinguished classical guitarists of his generation. Winner of 24 international competitions, he has appeared as a soloist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Madrid Symphony Orchestra, Cuarteto Casals, and the Avalon and Pacifica Quartets, among others. Soundboard praised his “flawless technique and profound musical insight.” His extensive discography includes 17 CDs and two DVDs, and his book on performance anxiety has become an essential resource for musicians.
The Cavatina Duo has made a significant contribution to the development of the flute and guitar repertoire by commissioning nearly 30 new works from leading contemporary composers. Their recordings reflect this commitment to innovation and include Sephardic Journey (with the Avalon Quartet, Cedille Records, 2016), Folias and Fantasias (Alan Thomas’s reimagining of Telemann’s 12 Fantasias, Bridge Records, 2020), and their most recent release, River of Fire (Cedille Records, March 2025), a collaboration with the two-time GRAMMY-winning Pacifica Quartet. This album, inspired by the music and legacy of the Romani diaspora, has been met with critical acclaim for its blending of cultural traditions and poignant storytelling.

The duo has also recorded two albums with Acis Productions: Wings (2024), featuring the chamber music of composer Rami Levin, and Silk Apples (2025), an eclectic program exploring cultural intersections through newly commissioned works.

The 2025–2026 season will take them on tour across the United States and Europe, with performances and educational activities at venues such as the Morton Arboretum (Illinois), concerts in California (San Diego and Hemet), the Rhode Island Guitar Guild—including a concert and masterclass—the North Dakota Museum of Art, and educational outreach performances in Grand Forks, as well as the South Haven Performance Series. In Europe, they will appear at the Juan Gual Esteve Music Festival, the MUSEG Segovia Music Festival, and the Villa de Petrer International Guitar Festival..

They have been featured in cover stories and interviews in Ritmo, Scherzo, and Chamber Music America magazines.

Beyond the stage, Eugenia and Denis serve as faculty at the University of Illinois at Chicago and as artistic directors of the Juan Gual Esteve Festival in Spain and the Chicago Guitar Festival. They are regularly invited to give masterclasses at universities and festivals worldwide, sharing their expertise with the next generation of musicians.
​

www.cavatinaduo.com
www.azabagic.com
www.eugeniamoliner.com

Michelle Willis studied at Ricks College (now BYU-Idaho) and Boise State University and graduated with a B.A. in Choral Music Education in 1999. Throughout her career, she has had the opportunity to work with well-known industry conductors and composers such as Barlow Bradford, Nathan Hofheins, and Darwin Wolford. She completed her student teaching in Boise, Idaho with Becky Prindle (orchestra) and Ted Totorica (choirs at Borah High School).

Willis has received dozens of awards for her compositions for choirs, orchestras, and solo instruments over the past 25 years and is the owner of her own publishing company, Teton Music (www.TetonMusic.com). 

Mrs. Willis founded the Herriman Community Orchestra in 2008 and served as its Artistic Director for 6 years. She was a member of the Herriman Arts Council from 2005-2011 and served as director, producer, and conductor for that organization for numerous productions and events. She is currently the Artistic Director for the Kensington Symphony Orchestra, which is part of the non-profit group Kensington Theatre Company (www.KensingtonOrchestra.org). She is also Music Director for the Murray Symphony Orchestra (www.MurraySymphony.org).

Mrs. Willis has taught private voice, piano, string, ukulele, guitar, and harp lessons to numerous students over the last 25 years. She is the mother of 4 wonderful children and enjoys supporting her awesome and talented husband, Spencer, who sings in the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square.

2026.11.20

Yuri Liberzon

Yuri Liberzon

An internationally acclaimed concert classical guitarist and recording artist recognized for his impressive technical ability and musicality.

Date: Friday, November 20, 2026

Time: 7:30pm

Location: Regent Street Black Box Theater at the Eccles

144 South Regent Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84111

Workshop: Saturday, November 21, 2026

Time: 11:00am

Location: Glendale Library

1375 S. Concord St (1240 West), SLC

Register here

Born in Novosibirsk, Russia and raised in Israel. Classical guitarist Yuri Liberzon has been recognized for his impressive technical ability and musicality. Based on his achievements in the music field United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has granted Yuri Liberzon ‘Alien of Extraordinary Ability’ United States Permanent Residency.

Mr. Liberzon has given countless number of concerts across the United States. Notable concerts venues include: 92nd Street Y in New York, Florida State University, Oregon State University, Santa Clara University, Marlow Guitar Series in Maryland, Murov Music College in Novosibirsk, Russia; Legion of Honor in San Francisco, Lesher Center in Walnut Creek, and many guitar societies. Mr. Liberzon has collaborated and performed in concerts with many renown musicians including guitarists: Grisha Goryachev, Patrick O’Connell, Piotr Pakhomkin and flutist Josué Casillas. Concerto performances with Diablo Symphony Orchestra and Tahoe Symphony Orchestra. Chamber music performances with Gold Coast Chamber Players, Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra and Quartet San Francisco.

Media appearances include: Capital Public Radio of Sacramento, Classical Guitar Magazine, Kol HaMusica (National Classical Music Radio Station of the Israel Broadcasting Authority), KUHF (NPR Houston), KUSF San Francisco, San Francisco Chronicle, Soundboard Magazine and WDR German Television Network.

Mr. Liberzon has released two albums in collaboration with Grammy winning sound engineer and producer Nahuel Bronzini: Solo album “Ascension” released in 2015 – music from Bach to Beatles and Keith Jarrett, and “¡Acentuado!” released in 2017 – music of composer Astor Piazzolla featuring a collaboration with flutist Josué Casillas. ¡Acentuado! is distributed by Soundset Recordings label. Both albums received high praise from the Classical Guitar Magazine, Fanfare Magazine and other reputable publications and critics.

Mr. Liberzon has transcribed music of Domenico Scarlatti and Johann Sebastian Bach for guitar. His transcriptions have been published in SoundBoard magazine and are distributed in Europe by Bergmann Edition.

Mr. Liberzon is an avid teacher. He has prepared students who were admitted into some of the most prestigious music schools: Juilliard Pre-College, Peabody Conservatory and San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Mr. Liberzon has been a judge at numerous music competitions such as Beatty Classical Guitar Competition in Washington DC, Junior Bach Festival, San Francisco Conservatory of Music Concerto Competition and Sierra Nevada Classical Guitar Competition. He has given masterclasses at Florida State University, Katy Guitar Guild, Murov Music College in Novosibirsk, Russia and Portland State University.

While in Israel, Mr. Liberzon studied with Maestro Yaron Hasson for 6 years. During that period Mr. Liberzon has been a multiple time recipient of the America-Israel Cultural Foundation scholarships and grants. In year 2000, Mr. Liberzon came to the United States to study at the Peabody Conservatory with world renown guitarist Manuel Barrueco. Mr. Liberzon has received Bachelor of Music degree and Graduate Performance Diploma from the Peabody Conservatory as well as Master of Music degree from Yale University. He was awarded full scholarships at both Peabody and Yale where he studied with two of the world’s leading guitar masters: Manuel Barrueco and Benjamin Verdery.

Mr. Liberzon plays on guitars by Gil Carnal and Robert Ruck with Royal Classics strings.

2027.01.22

Emily Nelson & John Lenti—An Evening of Renaissance Music

Emily Nelson & John Lenti—An Evening of Renaissance Music for lute and voice.

In cooperation with Utopia Early Music

Date: Friday, January 22, 2027

Time: 7:30pm

Location: Regent Street Black Box Theater at the Eccles

144 South Regent Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84111

Workshop: Saturday, January 23, 2027

Time: 11:00am

Location: Glendale Library

1375 S. Concord St (1240 West), SLC

Register here

2027-02-26

Ben Lougheed

Ben Lougheed

Known for his “beautifully polished, passionate, and engaging performances.” Ben’s multifaceted career includes over a decade of concertizing, community engagement, music entrepreneurship, and education. Audiences, colleagues, and critics have called Ben “an emerging force in the classical guitar world” and “without question a first-rate artist.”

Date: Friday, February 26, 2027

Time: 7:30pm

Location: Regent Street Black Box Theater at the Eccles

144 South Regent Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84111

Workshop: Saturday, February 27, 2027

Time: 11:00am

Location: Glendale Library

1375 S. Concord St (1240 West), SLC

Register here

Described as creating “music of dramatic power and lyric beauty,” Dr. Ben Lougheed is known for his “beautifully polished, passionate, and engaging performances.” Ben’s multifaceted career includes over a decade of concertizing, community engagement, music entrepreneurship, and education. Audiences, colleagues, and critics have called Ben “an emerging force in the classical guitar world” and “without question a first-rate artist.”

Dr. Lougheed has performed extensively around the U.S., including recent performances for the Interlochen Arts Academy, Guitar Sarasota, Utah Classical Guitar, Kerrytown Concert House, and the Dale Mabry Guitar Series. Presenters have praised him for his “virtuosic technique,” “delicate interpretation,” and “high level of artistry.”

Ben is also a highly sought-after and accomplished instructor who currently teaches at the Temple Music Preparatory. He has previously taught at Florida State University and Pensacola State College, and also helped found the Lessons Academy at Leon High School. His dedication to teaching has led to significant success by his students, who have won auditions for All-State and All-National guitar ensembles, as well as prizes at multiple competitions. Due to his impressive record and substantial Suzuki training, Ben has been invited to teach around the country.

Ben founded the Florida Guitar Festival and served as its Executive Director for nearly a decade. In that time, he brought together hundreds of burgeoning musicians and students for educational activities, concerts, and competitions. Additionally, Ben’s work with the festival included a collaboration with GRAMMY-winner Bill Kanengiser on the first recorded performance of Sergio Assad’s piece, “The Walls.” On top of that, Ben was the Founder and Artistic Director of the Tallahassee Chapter of Classical Revolution. This music outreach organization produced dozens of concerts that showcased the talents of over 150 performers, becoming a fixture in the local music scene. For the past few years, Ben has been sharing the knowledge that he learned from these ventures with younger musicians by giving lectures on entrepreneurship and marketing at universities and conferences around the country.

Ben’s debut album, Baroque Legacies, intertwines music by influential and celebrated Baroque composers with contemporary pieces inspired by these musical giants. It has been described as “an inspiration,” “perfectly performed,” “technically superb,” and “emotionally delicious from start to finish.” His second album, “Dancing on Six Strings,” was released in 2025 on the Frameworks label.

Ben holds a Bachelor of Music in guitar performance from the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, where he attended on the Charlie Byrd Memorial Scholarship. He completed Master of Music and Doctor of Music degrees at Florida State University, where he served as a teaching assistant to the legendary pedagogue Bruce Holzman while earning a graduate certificate in Music Education and Leadership.

2027-04-30

Manuel Barrueco

Manuel Barrueco

The legendary Manuel Barrueco is internationally recognized as one of the most important guitarists of our time. His unique artistry has been continually described as that of a superb instrumentalist and a superior and elegant musician, possessing a seductive sound and uncommon lyrical gifts.

Date: Friday, April 30, 2027

Time: 7:30pm

Location: Regent Street Black Box Theater at the Eccles

144 South Regent Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84111

Workshop: TBA

Time: TBA

Location: TBA

Register here

The legendary Manuel Barrueco is internationally recognized as one of the most important guitarists of our time. His unique artistry has been continually described as that of a superb instrumentalist and a superior and elegant musician, possessing a seductive sound and uncommon lyrical gifts.

His career has been dedicated to bringing the guitar to the main musical centers of the world. During three decades of concertizing, he has performed across the United Sates from the New World Symphony in Miami to the Seattle Symphony, and from the Hollywood Bowl with the Los Angeles Philharmonic to New York’s Lincoln Center. He has appeared with such prestigious orchestras as the Philadelphia Orchestra and with the Boston Symphony under the direction of Seiji Ozawa, in the American premiere of ToruTakemitsu’s "To the Edge of Dream." In addition, he appears regularly with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and with San Francisco Performances.

His international tours have taken him to some of the most important musical centers in the world. Highlights include the Royal Albert Hall in London, Musikverein in Vienna, Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Philharmonie in Berlin, Teatro Real in Madrid, and Palau de la Musica in Barcelona. In Asia he has completed close to a dozen tours of Japan and made repeated appearances in Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, China, and Hong Kong. Barrueco’s tours of Latin America have included performances in Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Puerto Rico. Barrueco's tours of Latin America have included performances in Mexico, Brazil, Columbia, Costa Rica, Panama, and Puerto Rico.

He has also performed as a guest soloist with other international orchestras, such as the Russian State Symphony, Helsinki Philharmonic, Royal Philharmonic, NHK Symphony, New Japan Philharmonic, Auckland Symphony in New Zealand, Orquestra Sinfonica do Estado de Sao Paulo (OSESP), in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and the radio symphonies of Munich and Frankfurt.

Barrueco's commitment to contemporary music and to the expansion of the guitar repertoire has led him to collaborations with many distinguished composers such as Steven Stucky, Michael Daugherty, Roberto Sierra, Arvo Pärt, Jonathan Leshnoff, Gabriela Lena Frank, Dmitri Yanov-Yanovsky, Jonathan Leshnof, and Toru Takemitsu, whose last orchestral work Spectral Canticle was a double concerto written specifically for Manuel Barrueco and violinist Frank Peter Zimmerman.

Manuel Barrueco has appeared on a wide array of American television programs including "CBS Sunday Morning", A&E's "Breakfast with the Arts", and "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" on PBS.  His work in music also inspired Michael Lawrence’s biographical documentary: “Manuel Barrueco: A Gift and a Life” which has been aired by PBS stations around the United States including WNET-TV in New York. He was also featured in a Lexus car commercial. Barrueco’s performances have been broadcast by television stations around the world such as NHK in Japan, Bayerische Rundfunk in Germany, and RTVE in Spain.

Barrueco’s recording catalogue includes over a dozen recordings for the EMI label. His recording of Joaquín Rodrigo's "Concierto de Aranjuez" with conductor and tenor Plácido Domingo and the Philharmonia Orchestra was cited as the best recording of that piece in Classic CD Magazine, while "¡Cuba!" was called "an extraordinary musical achievement" by the San Francisco Chronicle.

"Nylon & Steel," a collection of duos with guitar greats Al Di Meola, Steve Morse (Deep Purple), and Andy Summers (The Police), demonstrates Barrueco's outstanding versatility and imaginative programming.  His "Concierto Barroco," with the Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia and conductor Víctor Pablo Pérez, received a Latin Grammy nomination for Best Classical Recording. This CD contains the world premiere recordings of new works for guitar and orchestra by Roberto Sierra and Arvo Pärt, as well as two guitar concertos by Antonio Vivaldi. Other recordings encompass many of the works from the Spanish and Latin American repertoire, as well as Bach and Mozart, Keith Jarrett and Chick Corea etcetera.  He collaborated with soprano Barbara Hendricks and flutist Emmanuel Pahud in Cantos y Danzas, with The King’s Singers on a Strauss album, and with the London Symphony on "Manuel Barrueco plays Lennon & McCartney." His early recordings, available on VOX, have become a classic amongst guitar recordings.

In 2007 Manuel Barrueco received a Grammy nomination for the “Best Instrumental Soloist Performance” for his "Solo Piazzolla," which was the first recording to be released on the exclusive Manuel Barrueco Collection on Tonar Music. "Tango Sensations" and "Sounds of the Americas" came out subsequently in collaboration with the Cuarteto Latinoamericano, the latter received a Latin Grammy Award for “Inca Dances” by Gabriela Lena Frank for “Best Classical Contemporary Composition.” "Virtuoso Guitar Duos" was released in 2009 andincludes the most breathtaking guitar duos from the Spanish and Latin-American repertoire.

In 2010 he released a solo recording, "Tárrega!," which includes works and arrangements of the Spanish composer Francisco Tárrega and which received a Latin Grammy nomination for “Best Classical Album.” "Chaconne–A Baroque Recital" came out in 2012 and in 2013 Manuel Barrueco released "Medea," which includes Barrueco’s arrangement of the ballet by flamenco guitarist/composer Manolo Sanlúcar. Barrueco recorded the work with the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra and Víctor Pablo Pérez conducting. The recording received a Latin Grammy nomination for "Best Classical Album."  The following year he released, "China West," a recording of guitar trios in collaboration with his protégés, the Beijing Guitar Duo (Meng Su & Yameng Wang). "Fernando Sor: The Beethoven of the Guitar" was released in 2016 along with a publication with the works on the CD, edited and fingered by Barrueco. In December 2019 he released "Music from Cuba and Spain; Sierra: Sonata para Guitarra" along with two publications of music from the CD, transcribed by Manuel Barrueco. The recording received a Latin Grammy nomination for "Best Classical Album."

Manuel Barrueco began playing the guitar at the age of eight, and he attended the Esteban Salas Conservatory in his native Cuba. He immigrated with his family to the United States in 1967, as a political refugee. 

He completed his advanced studies at the Peabody Conservatory of Music, where he now shares his love for music with a small number of exceptionally gifted young guitarists from all over the world.

Manuel Barrueco is the recipient of the United States Artist Fontanals Fellowship for Artistic Excellence.

Website for Management and Recordings: TonarMusic.com