From Classical Guitar Magazine, entire review HERE:
“…Assad’s piece was bold, exciting, and completely unpredictable.
Is it fair to think of the guitar part—beautifully played by Marc Teicholz (a current member of the SFCM faculty)—as the embodiment of Saci-Pererê, while the surrounding orchestration describes fanciful and strange settings and adventures? Too literal, no doubt. Whatever the case, it was easy to be swept up in its ever-shifting rhythms and tempos, the great clashing peaks, interesting passages where, say, a pairing of bassoon and viola suddenly dominate for a few seconds, or a large standing drum adds muffled booms, or the guitar part seems to almost fly off the neck in free-flight. This one also used the orchestra in unusual ways, with parts where the musicians stamped their feet rhythmically in unison—sounding a bit like a flamenco dancer—or a musical line wouldhave a strong undercurrent of unintelligible whispering, then muttering. It was unquestionably bizarre in places, but always highly musical and definitely compelling. Some of it had the sweeping grandeur of a great film score (though usually with some odd twist thrown in); other sections were most mysterious. Teicholz was really challenged on this one—the guitar part requires incredible dexterity and rhythmic assurance—but he seemed in complete control throughout, and when he brought the piece to its close, he (and everyone onstage) was rewarded with a sustained standing ovation from the appreciative crowd.
This is precisely the sort of adventurous and involving piece the guitar repertoire needs more of. I hope other orchestras will take a chance on it.”