Gohar Vardanyan's six-string magic

 They say you can’t go home again. As far as Gohar Vardanyan is concerned, they’re wrong.

Vardanyan returned to Interlochen Center for the Arts, where she studied from 2001 to 2004, for a classical guitar recital Wednesday April 6. The small but enthusiastic audience was rewarded with a program of uncommon skill and verve.

The opening set of three Argentinian pieces immediately established Vardanyan’s ability. She has a marvelous technical aptitude, effortlessly rendering arpeggios and runs. Best of all, it doesn’t come off as something difficult, but rather very fluid.

That was the case throughout the evening. Her playing made the difficult passages sing. The “Introduccion y Rondo Op. 2 No. 2” by Aguado was a prime example. Almost jaunty, her fingers never got ahead of her passion. She continued to warm to the occasion, performing three other pieces before a brief intermission, each more evocative than the last.

The second half of the program was even better. Whether she was more relaxed or simply more comfortable with the music, Vardanyan showed she’s both a formidable talent and an engaging one. Joaquin Turina’s “Sonata, Op. 61” showed a greater dynamic range, and Joaquin Rodrigo’s “Invocacion y Danza” found her fingers dancing up and down the fretboard and inviting the audience to do likewise.

Despite a player’s prowess, sometimes the classical guitar repertoire can sound a bit tiresome, like exercises meant to challenge or build up the student’s ability, rather than a composition people (other than guitarists) will enjoy hearing. That’s why the Scarlatti Sonatas were such a delight. The two pieces by the baroque composer were melodic, joyful, and far too brief.

Early on, Vardanyan paid homage to John Wunsch, her former instructor at Interlochen. Throughout the show it was engaging to see his reaction to her playing, beaming, bobbing his head in time to the runs, as his student demonstrated how she’s grown.

Onetime Genesis axe-slinger Steve Hackett, whose album “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” showcased his acoustic playing with orchestra and topped the classical charts, has said there is an orchestra inside the guitar. Vardanyan had no difficulty finding it and conducted it well.