NEW YORK — Brazilian guitar virtuosos Sérgio and Odair Assad will bring their decades-long partnership to a close with a final concert at The 92nd Street Y, New York (92NY) on March 14, 2026, marking the end of a farewell tour that celebrates nearly 60 years of collaboration and global influence in classical guitar.
The performance, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on the David Geffen Stage at Kaufmann Concert Hall, returns the internationally acclaimed duo to the venue that helped launch their North American career more than four decades ago. Tickets for the concert start at $45.
Sérgio and Odair Assad, widely recognized as one of the most influential guitar duos in modern classical music, will present a program centered on Brazilian and Latin American repertoire, highlighting works by Astor Piazzolla, Egberto Gismonti, Heitor Villa-Lobos and Radamés Gnattali, alongside compositions by Sérgio Assad.
The concert carries particular significance for the brothers, whose international career began with a major prize at the 1979 Young Artists Competition in Bratislava. That win led to their New York debut at the same venue in January 1980. Over the decades that followed, the Assads returned repeatedly to the stage at 92NY while building a reputation as innovators who expanded the possibilities of the classical guitar duo.
Throughout their career, the brothers have been central figures in shaping the modern guitar repertoire. Their virtuosity and distinctive ensemble playing have inspired leading composers to write works specifically for them, including Astor Piazzolla, Terry Riley, Radamés Gnattali, Marlos Nobre and Nikita Koshkin. Sérgio Assad has also contributed extensively to the duo’s repertoire through original compositions and arrangements.
The March performance will include selections from Piazzolla’s Suite Troileana, Américo Jacomino’s Abismo de Rosas, Paulo Bellinati’s Jongo, selections from Gnattali’s Suite Retratos, and Villa-Lobos’s Alma brasileira. The program also features several works by Sérgio Assad, including One Week in Rio, Dyens en trois temps and Tahhiyya li ossoulina, along with Gismonti’s Palhaço and Baião malandro.
The Assad brothers designed their farewell tour to conclude at 92NY, underscoring the venue’s role in their early success and enduring connection to New York audiences.
Born in Brazil into a family steeped in musical tradition, the brothers began playing together at a young age. Their development was shaped by studies with Monina Távora, a student of legendary Spanish guitarist Andrés Segovia. Over time, they developed a distinctive approach that blends classical technique with elements of jazz, Latin rhythms and folk traditions.
Their collaborations have extended far beyond the classical guitar world. The duo has performed and recorded with a wide range of artists, including violinists Nadia Salerno-Sonnenberg and Gidon Kremer and soprano Dawn Upshaw. They have also worked extensively with cellist Yo-Yo Ma, appearing on the Grammy-winning album Obrigado Brazil and the acclaimed recording Songs of Joy & Peace.
In addition to chamber collaborations, the Assads have appeared with major orchestras including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the São Paulo Symphony Orchestra and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. Sérgio Assad has also written orchestral works, including a concerto for two guitars titled Phases, premiered with the Seattle Symphony. He is currently composing a cello concerto for Yo-Yo Ma.
The brothers’ recordings have received international recognition. Albums on the Nonesuch and GHA labels, including Sérgio and Odair Assad Play Piazzolla and Jardim Abandonado, earned Latin Grammy Awards. Sérgio Assad has also been nominated for two Latin Classical Grammys as a composer for his works Interchange and Maraesipe.
Beyond traditional classical venues, the Assads have explored diverse musical projects. They appeared on the soundtrack of the film Duplicity and created the touring production De Volta as Raizes (Back to Our Roots) featuring members of their family. The duo has also toured with musicians including Paquito D’Rivera, jazz guitarist Romero Lubambo and performers from the Silkroad Ensemble.
In recent years, Sérgio Assad collaborated with his daughter, composer and pianist Clarice Assad, on the project Archetypes, which premiered and was recorded with Third Coast Percussion during the 2019–2020 season.
The farewell performance comes as the brothers mark their 60th anniversary as a performing duo in 2026, accompanied by a new album featuring compositions by Sérgio Assad and a final tour across North America.
For 92NY, the concert represents the closing chapter of a longstanding artistic relationship with two musicians who helped elevate the global profile of classical guitar performance.
Founded as a cultural and educational institution, The 92nd Street Y, New York is a multidisciplinary arts center offering concerts, talks, classes and digital programming to audiences around the world. The organization hosts hundreds of cultural and educational events annually and continues to serve as a platform for artistic innovation and dialogue.
The March 14 concert will mark the Assads’ final appearance together as a duo on the stage where their international journey began.