The Portland Guitar Duo formed in 1999. Its members, James Manuele and Foti Lycouridis, share a mutual enthusiasm for the guitar duet medium and their goal is to establish a great performing team from the Pacific Northwest.The Portland Guitar Duo has performed in many venues in Portland, including Portland State, Concordia and Marylhurst Universities, the Portland Community Music Center and the Portland Library Concert Series. They have performed as featured guests of the Portland Guitar Society and as soloists with the Oregon Chamber Players. They have received coaching as a duo from such notable performers as Monika Huggett of the Portland Baroque Orchestra. Matt Doran, a Vancouver Wa. based composer has written and dedicated his Suite for 2 Guitars to the Duo. Their repertoire covers the Baroque, Classical, Romantic and 20th Century periods, with a selection of pieces ranging from classic guitar duet favorites to some rarely heard duet literature. Additionaly, they seek to bring new music for 2 guitars to the stage with their own duet transcriptions. Their concert programs showcase both their refined touch and dynamic energy as well as their interpretative abilities. The Portrland Guitar Duo is a team that seeks to make each concert a unique musical experience for its audience where the enjoyment and appreciation of music as an art will become an indelible memory.

James Manuele
Born in Downey California in 1965, James began playing the guitar at age eleven. At age fifteen he auditioned and ultimately studied with Celin Romero. Shortly thereafter, he performed in several master classes for Pepe Romero, George Sakelariou, Bartolomeo Diaz, Benjamin Verdery and John Duarte. He earned his Bachelor of Music degree at Mansfield University under Pablo Cohen, where he also studied voice and viola. Later, he earned his Masters of Music in Guitar Performance at Portland State University under composer/guitarist Bryan Johanson. James is an active guitar instructor in Vancouver, Washinton, and teaches at both Clark College in Vancouver and at Concordia University in Portland, Oregon.

Foti Lycouridis
Foti Lycouridis was born in Egypt of Greek parents and grew up in Athens, Greece. In 1981 he came to the United States to study music. Foti holds a Bachelor of Music in Guitar Performance and a Master of Music in Music Theory, both from University of Portland. He has studied guitar with Jeffrey Ashton and Evangelos Asimakolpoulos, theory and analysis with composer Tomas Svoboda, and he is also studying the Baroque lute. He has transcribed piano music of Cimarosa, Mompou and Cage for 2 guitars. In addition to performance, Foti has a strong interest in guitar construction and is working towards completing his first handmade guitar under the guidance of Portland luthier Mike Doolin.

Their demo CD, "The Portland Guitar Duo Preforms" will be sent to any interested party who requests it for bookings, etc.
Please send inqueries to: James Manuele.

Samples selected from "The Portland Guitar Duo Performs":

Sonata by D.Cimarosa

Largo from the Double Mandolin Concerto in G by A.Vivaldi

Spanish Dance No.2 by E.Granados

Caprice op.12 by L.Albeniz

The Portland Guitar Duo Repertoire:

D. BUXTEHUDE
Suite in d minor, BUX WV 233
(Allemande d'amour, Courante, Sarabande d'amour, Sarabande, Gigue)

A. CORELLI
Sonata in e minor, op.5 no.8
(Prelude, Allemande Sarabande, Gigue)

D. CIMAROSA
Sonata IX
Sonata XXII
Sonata XII
Sonata V *

A. SOLER
Sonata no.84

F. CHOPIN
Valse, op.69 no.2
Prelude no.4
Prelude no.6

E. GRANADOS
Spanish Dance no.2
Spanish Dance no.4
Spanish Dance no.12

I. ALBENIZ
Tango in D, op.165 no.2
Caprice, op.12

M. de FALLA
Ritual Fire Dance
Miller's Dance

J. HIMENEZ
Ballo de Luis Alonso**

M. PONCE
Intermezzo

F. MOMPOU
Cancion no.5 *
Cancion no.6 *
Pajaro Triste *
Playans no.4 *

M. CASTELNUOVO-TEDESCO
Prelude & Fugue no.3
Prelude & Fugue no.7

G. SANTORSOLA
Suite all' Antica
(Preludio, Menuetto, Piccola Arietta, Finale)

J. CAGE
Dream (for lute & guitar) *

M. DORAN
Suite for 2 Guitars
(Written for the Portland Guitar Duo)

M. ELGART
Snack Shop for 2 prepared guitars

B. JOHANSON
Fresco II, op.33

A. VIVALDI
CONCERTO for 2 guitars & orchestra in e minor
Largo from the Double Mandolin Concerto in G

* Transcription for 2 guitars by Foti Lycouriis
** Transcription for 2 guitars by James Manuele & Foti Lycouridis

"The Portland Guitar Duo Preforms"
copyright 2003 James Manuele/Foti Lycouridis