Interview with The Arpegge Duo • Holiday Piano & Guitar Concert

Due to unforeseen circumstances, we are sad to announce that guitarist Laura Mazon Franqui will not be able to perform at this year’s holiday concert.

We are excited that pianist Meriette Saglie will be able to go on with her beautiful solo piano performances paired with immersive fine art imagery and stories she will be sharing about each composer and piece.

The Athena Foundation for the Arts has had the privilege of hosting distinguished Cuban and Latin American classical guitarist Laura Mazon Franqui on two separate occasions. The first was her solo debut with Athena in 2022, followed by a duo and solo program in 2023 with virtuoso violinist Philip Vaiman. Both concerts paired stunning imagery with each performance for an immersive, memorable experience.

Maestro pianist Meriette Saglie had been on my radar for some time, as we know professional musicians in common. I began following her on social media and was impressed with her dedication as a musician, educator, and program director of her own concert series. I hoped to make her acquaintance someday.

Meriette Saglie

In July of this year, Laura came to me, announcing her new project: The Arpegge Duo, a unique combination of Piano and Guitar duets with none other than pianist Meriette Saglie! What kismet!

A lovely Zoom meeting with Meriette kindled ideas for Athena’s 2025 Season Finale Holiday Concert. Our season finale had been virtuoso violinist Roberto Cani’s solo concert, but with his untimely passing, I hadn’t given thought to any more 2025 concerts. A holiday program would bring the concert season to a cheerier close. The pieces and composers they selected were approved unanimously by Athena’s board. The Holiday Concert was set.

Before each concert, we like to “break the ice” and introduce our guest musicians. When you’re ready, grab a comfy chair and your favorite fall beverage and enjoy the conversation.

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How You Met

LRW: Laura and Meriette, it’s a privilege to have your Arpegge Duo perform at The Athena Foundation for the Arts 2025 Holiday Season Finale Concert! Thank you for agreeing to this interview about your incredible program. Before we begin, may I ask how you both met, professionally?

LMF: Hi Linda, and thanks for your time and interest! Well…we met online through a platform for musicians and house/small venue concert hosts, called Groupmuse. I was listed as a musician there, with my full program and bio, and a music organization called Wine Music contacted me to perform at one of their events. I remember when I received the message! I was at the Baroque interpretation class in USC, and I remember I couldn’t wait for the class to be over so that I could email back and say yes! Turns out, Meriette was the person running these concert series, and the minute we met in person, there was an instant connection. It is something really special when you meet someone and suddenly you feel like you could be friends for life, but it is even more special when you are both musicians and have similar points of view regarding music, career, and repertoire! All the stars aligned, and working together on a musical project became almost inevitable.

MS: Thank you, Linda. We’re so happy to be here and to have the opportunity to share our music with your audience. And yes, everything Laura shared is entirely true. It’s funny how time has a way of revealing the meaningful threads in our lives. At the time, Groupmuse was simply one of the few rare platforms where classical musicians could genuinely connect with audiences and with one another within a kind of modern salon network. I remember coming across Laura’s profile and being struck not just by her artistry but by the clarity of her voice as a performer, her sense of purpose, repertoire choices, and the integrity with which she represented herself. When I reached out to Laura to invite her to perform on WineMusic — which at the time was presented in partnership with Groupmuse’s platform and fiscal sponsorship — the connection felt beautifully natural. Though we had never met in person, it was like we had already been working together. The timing simply worked. Our musical interests, career goals, and values behind thinking about performance as a livelihood were already very much in sync. Looking back, I see how rare and serendipitous that is. From that point on, creating together felt not just possible, but inevitable!

LRW: Hey, I’m a big fan of Groupmuse and have attended wonderful concerts in cozy homes over the years. So glad to learn of your connection to Meriette through this lovely program series. I have yet to experience your wonderful WineMusic events and look forward to attending the next one. Connections through music are magical.

The Meaning of “Arpegge”

LRW: For our readers, could you please provide the definition or meaning of the word ‘Arpegge’? It reminds me of the musical term, Arpeggio. Thank you.

LMF: Well, Arpegge is Arpeggio in French. We both love the French culture, and we were looking for a word that would also be a common one for both instruments. And one thing that both the guitar and the piano have in common is the fact that both are melodic and harmonic instruments (aka we can do both melody and accompaniment at the same time) and one of the most beautiful techniques that both instruments can do are the arpeggios. It is the most mystical, magical one. So it felt right.

MS: Yes, exactly. I’m always drawn to names that carry simple symbolism, and Arpegge felt like the natural bridge between our two instruments. Piano and guitar aren’t a common pairing, (at least not yet!) and they share this beautiful duality of being both melodic and harmonic at once. The arpeggio is where that overlap becomes very clear between both instruments where they speak the same musical language. So choosing the French form, Arpegge, felt like the most natural and simple way to name that connection. And we do have a soft spot for French culture — from Debussy to croissants. Some rehearsals begin with discussions of tone color and phrasing… and somehow end in planning when we might travel to Paris together next and visit every pâtisserie within a 10-block radius!

LRW: I didn’t know Arpegge was French for Arpeggio! Love that. I share your fondness for French culture, especially the croissants. Now I’m hungry…lol. Piano and guitar duos bring back a fond middle school memory when I enjoyed playing piano with my guitarist friend Mark D., after we finished our homework. I’ll never forget that gorgeous sound and am so excited to get to hear it again at your concert.

Curating the Athena Holiday Program

LRW: For your upcoming Athena holiday program, how did you decide on the pieces curated for the concert? Why these composers? Why now?

LMF: It was a bit of music that we love, plus music that we are preparing for recording projects, and of course, a specially curated selection of our holiday favorites. We just want it to be beautiful, relatable, and fun, in a classical way.

MS: True! We were also thinking about experience and atmosphere. This program moves through unique characters and emotions, from intimate and reflective to festive and joyful. Each piece was chosen not only because we enjoy interpreting it, but because it highlights the unique blend of piano and guitar in a way that feels unexpected yet intuitive and that we want to champion for more audiences to experience. The majority of the holiday pieces in this concert we chose are arranged by us and specifically for our duo allowing us to highlight the full expressive capacity of each instrument, both on its own, in combination and how we feel is highlighted to its best capacity. Piano and guitar each have such distinct colors, and when arranged intentionally, they can create a sound world that feels both intimate and expansive. It’s something we’re committed to continuing with more cornerstone repertoire in the future.

And on a personal note, The Nutcracker has always held a special place for me. I grew up hearing it during the holidays, and it became one of those musical worlds that always feels like home. My arrangement in this program is presented as a suite of selected movements from the ballet score chosen and shaped to highlight the narrative arc and character that I feel is most essential to the core message it holds. From a pianist’s perspective, it brings forward the nuances tucked in the orchestral score in a way that the piano can express directly and effectively.

LRW: Sounds perfect. I’m a huge fan of the Spanish and South American classical composers you selected. Their work sparks a unique joy that resonates with me. Your thoughtful curation means so much to The Athena Foundation for the Arts. Working with great artists like you and Laura, who put your heart and soul into the program is what sets our series apart. Thank you for your generous time and care. The audience is in for a real treat.

Imagery Selection for the Concert

LRW: Could you provide a hint about the imagery chosen? How did you determine which image to pair with each piece?

LMF: I would rather leave it as a surprise…..But I can only say one thing: it will be as magical as the season!

MS: Oh, yes a surprise it is! I’m so excited that we get to share not just how we play this music, but how we see it. Thank you, Linda, for giving us this rare and special opportunity to extend our creativity beyond sound with our audience. Without giving too much away, I can say that the imagery intends to heighten the listening experience through giving the music’s storytelling a tangible visual layer to the storytelling that the music offers.

LRW: This gives me goosebumps. Can’t wait to see your visions of the music.

Recording Plans

LRW: May I ask, do you have plans to record your stunning solos and duos?

LMF: Yes, indeed! Some of the guitar solos that you will hear are part of my upcoming debut album with record label Prima Classic, called Rojo, which will be coming out early next year. And we do have a recording project in the making for our duo!!!

MS: We sure do, and we are so excited to share our projects in the making with the public very soon. I’m also currently producing a recording of my Nutcracker arrangement as a long-term cornerstone of my solo repertoire with the intention of sharing it more widely with the public. So please, stay tuned!

LRW: That’s great news! We’re lucky to get an early listen to the pieces that will be on your upcoming Rojo album next year. I’m glad to hear your duo has a recording project as well and that Meriette will be recording her Nutcracker arrangement. Very exciting!

Favorite Quotes

LRW: Do each of you have a favorite quote by a composer or musician that you’d like to share with our readers?

LMF: To be useful is something incredible, because you're at the service of the world. ~ Leo Brouwer(cuban composer/genius/conductor/guitarist) Share on X

I love this quote because it reminds us that music should have a mission, a mission to connect and to be of service, a mission to be a refuge and an inspiration. To change lives.

MS: Music is enough for a lifetime—yet a lifetime is not enough for music. ~ Sergei Rachmaninoff (Russian composer, virtuoso pianist, and conductor.) Share on X

I’ve always found this to be profoundly true, not only personally but across cultures and communities. Music is one of the few art forms that needs no translation. You can spend a lifetime studying, performing, or listening, and still feel there is always more to uncover. There’s something comforting in that; knowing that music can grow alongside our evolving perspectives and emotions. It becomes a kind of living force in our lives, something that continues to meet us wherever we are.

LRW: These words resonate with me. Thank you for sharing and connecting our readers to these gifts of inspiration. We are excited to start the holiday season with your fabulous concert!

To learn more about these virtuoso musicians, check out their websites and follow them on social media.
Laura Mazon Franqui
Website
YouTube
Instagram
Facebook

Meriette Saglie
Website
YouTube
Instagram
Facebook

Join us at the concert and meet The Arpegge Duo in person. Here are the concert details. Hope to see you then!

CONCERT DETAILS:

Program Link

Date
Sunday, December 7, 2025

Time
Doors Open: 3:30 PM
Concert: 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM PDT
Delicious Complimentary Refreshments at Intermission

Place
Community Auditorium
Church of Scientology of the Valley
11455 Burbank Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 91601

Disclaimers:
•The concert is hosted exclusively by The Athena Foundation for the Arts.
•It is Not a church event.
•The Community Auditorium is rented to nonprofits and charitable organizations.
• If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email us. Thank you.

FREE Parking: Farmdale Avenue lot and Burbank Boulevard lot across the street and street parking

Tickets
Purchase tickets on Eventbrite here or scan the QR code at the door. Cash or Credit card payments also available.
Questions? Please feel free to email us. Hope you can join us!

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