by Daniel Hathaway

Chinese-born guitarist Muxin Li took up the instrument at the age of three, made her concert debut at ten, and began studies with David Starobin and Jason Vieaux at Curtis at 16.

On Saturday June 6, in Mixon Hall, she demonstrated both a charming precocity and an impressive maturity in her Cleveland International Classical Guitar Festival recital of works by Spanish, Italian, Paraguayan, and Swiss composers.

Like François Couperin’s character pieces, the titles of movements of Vincente Asencio’s Collectici Intim depict human affects. In “La Serenor,” simple chords lead to lyrical music beautiful in its simplicity.“La Joia” is animated by sweeping scales, and “La Calma” is soothing, with a gentle, sweet melody.“La Gaubanca” delightfully strums its way forward, and “La Frisanca” shimmers with tremolo. Li played its impressionistic lines with sensitivity and direction. [Read more…]