Performances & Shows

Kemper Unplugged: From Tango to Bossa Nova

Co-sponsor: Kemper Art Museum

Featuring guitarists W. Mark Akin, Brian Vaccaro, and Farshid Soltanshahi

Explore Latin and Latin-inspired music for classical guitar with performances by W. Mark Akin and guitar duo Brian Vaccaro and Farshid Soltanshahi. Akin will perform works by Sergio Assad, Máximo Diego Pujol, and Roland Dyens, while Vaccaro and Soltanshahi will present a selection of Latin American music featuring Brazilian Bossa Nova and Samba, as well as Cuban Son Cubano. The program includes compositions by Antônio Carlos Jobim, Luiz Bonfá, Francisco Repilado, and others.

Arrive early or stay after to grab lunch at the Museum’s Coffee Bar. Enjoy ice cream sandwiches from Sugarwitch, savory deli sandwiches from Parker’s Table, and pastries from Colleen’s. Members get 10% off your purchase with every visit. Learn more and join here.

These 45-minute concerts are free and open to the public.

Performers

W. Mark Akin
Brian Vaccaro
Farshid Soltanshahi

Biographies

Award-winning classical guitarist W. Mark Akin is a St. Louis-based musician who has engaged audiences across the country with his dynamic on-stage presence and musicality.

Mark has won prizes in numerous competitions such as the Wilson Center Guitar Competition in Wisconsin, Beethoven Club Competition in Memphis, the University of Arizona's Beeston Competition and Sholin Competition, and was most recently selected as a winner of the Artist Presentation Society of St. Louis Competition.

Originally from Tennessee, Mark started his guitar studies by learning to play electric hard rock, idolizing guitarists such as Eric Johnson, Yngwie Malmsteen, and Eddie Van Halen. After discovering the classical guitar in high school, he then decided to study the instrument full-time and subsequently received his bachelor's and master's degrees in guitar performance from Belmont University in Nashville, and the University of Arizona in Tucson. He has performed in master classes and taken lessons with some of the greatest guitarists in the world, namely Sergio and Odair Assad, Manuel Barrueco, David Russell, Jason Vieaux, Olivier Chassain, Marcin Dylla, and Adam Holzman.

An active teacher, Mark has taught innumerable private lessons and classes. In addition to being on faculty at Washington University, he works with the St. Louis Classical Guitar Society’s outreach education initiative entitled Guitar Horizons.

Brian Vaccaro graduated from Webster University in St. Louis in 1996 with a Bachelor's Degree in Music with an emphasis in Jazz Studies. He continued his education at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, where he earned a Master's Degree in Music in Guitar Performance in 2000. Since completing his studies, Brian has been active as an educator as well as a performer. He has taught a variety of jazz and general music courses including Jazz History, Jazz Ensemble, Guitar Ensemble, Rock History, Private Guitar Study, and numerous others at Lindenwood University, Southwestern Illinois College, St. Louis Community College, Grand Center Arts Academy, and St. Charles Community College. In 2010, Brian received the Outstanding Adjunct Faculty award from St. Louis Community College at Meramec. Brian is now Executive Director of the 501c3 organization "St. Louis Classical Guitar". He has also performed and recorded with many of the top musicians in the St. Louis area. "Going Through the Motions", the debut album by the Brian Vaccaro Trio, was honored to be included in the "Notable Releases of 2011" list by noted critic and author W. Royal Stokes. Brian currently performs in and around the St. Louis area.

With a style that’s as diverse as it is captivating, Farshid Soltanshahi brings together various musical forms to create a sound that’s both innovative and deeply rooted in tradition. His work, characterized by intricate arrangements and impeccable musicianship, showcases his ability to transcend musical genres and cultures.

While details on awards and nominations remain as diverse and eclectic as his music, Farshid Etniko’s discography, including his celebrated debut album Nightmare in Heaven, stands as a testament to his artistic brilliance. With top songs and albums that feature a rich tapestry of sounds—from the classical guitar preludes to the powerful fusion of drums, bass, and traditional Persian instruments—Farshid’s music invites listeners into a world where musical boundaries cease to exist.