Associate Professor Larry Francis Hilarian, who teaches music at Nanyang Technological University, learnt to play the folk guitar from his uncle when he was young.

Today, the 63-year-old is an ethnomusicologist - one who studies music in its cultural context - and is trained in jazz, classical and flamenco guitar.

Tomorrow, he will hold a lecture-performance featuring the different genres in Latin American music such as folk tradition, classical, salsa and reggaeton.

The event, from 6.30 to 8.30pm, is part of The Spotlight Series, a bi-monthly event at the library@esplanade. Admission is free. To register, go to www.spot lightseries8.eventbrite.sg.

Dr Hilarian's wife and two children live in the United Kingdom.

What are weekends like for you?

I rehearse and arrange music in my home studio and play with my cats, Jambi and Zero.

I also go to cafes to read. On Sunday evenings, I go to places such as HooHa! Cafe at Arab Street and Crazy Elephant bar at Clarke Quay to perform and jam with my students and other musicians.

What do you do for leisure?

I like cooking and experimenting in the kitchen, especially with Chinese cuisine.

Who do you spend your weekends with?

Usually, I hang out at cafes with my close friends. I also like to listen to live music with them at the Esplanade Recital Studio or concourse. The Esplanade is my second home.

If you could hang out with anyone, dead or alive, for one weekend, who would it be?

I would not choose any one person. I would rather hang out with the people I meet daily as I believe that conversations with all these different characters shape me as much as I shape them, which eventually results in growth for both parties.

If you could go overseas for a getaway, where would it be?

Brazil. I would love to go to the places where they have live samba and bossa nova bands. The atmosphere there is party-like and it is guaranteed that I would have a roaring good time.

Complete this sentence: My perfect weekend would be...

When I can have plenty of rest.

Omar Amir