In the rarefied genre of art song, worlds of experience, thought, and emotion are distilled through an accompanied lone voice. No orchestral thunder, no operatic pomp, no forgiving soundtrack, not even the support of fellow performers.

Everything rides on just those two: singer and accompanist.

At Saturday's Honolulu Chamber Music concert, those two were baritone Thomas Meglioranza, Second Prize winner in th e 2005 Naumburg International Vocal Competition, and pianist Reiko Uchida of Columbia University.

The ride they provided their audience proved delightful from beginning to end.

Meglioranza's voice suited the genre exceptionally well: It was light and lyric, not large, but clear, with a forward placement that allowed for pristine diction, which is absolutely essential for song. At times, his timbre was reminiscent of the legendary Fischer-Dieskau's, particularly in middle to higher-middle ranges in the Schubert songs.

Meglioranza's range seemed less secure around the edges, however, as he reached for low notes and slipped disconcertingly into falsetto for the highs. And the way he sang the Debussy songs suggested that his voice has a wider variety of colors yet to come. But vocal color and range edges develop with age, and he is still young.

Despite his youth, Meglioranza performed like a seasoned artist, establishing a comfortable intimacy with the audience, genially discussing the songs and composers before each set and singing with a vibrance as dramatic as it was natural.

Uchida's accompaniment was exemplary, shifting smoothly between eras and styles, illuminating meaning, and gracefully underscoring Meglioranza. The two, although a solid, well-rehearsed team, did not yet sound like a partnership, creating of-the-moment interpretations through onstage musical dialogue. But that, too, comes with time working together.

It was the emerging potential — of Meglioranza, of Uchida, of the partnership — that enthralled throughout.

They opened the concert with art-song familiars — Schubert, Schumann, Ives, Faure, and Debussy — before focusing on Meglioranza's forte, 19th- and 20th-century American songs, which he sang with an easy affinity.

Of Meglioranza's and Uchida's many delightful moments, the highlight was three songs by Derek Bermel, "Spider Love," "Mushrooms" and "Dog."

When Meglioranza met with Bermel several weeks ago, he learned that, typically for art song, " 'Spider Love' seems to be about spider love, but it's not, and 'Mushrooms' seems to be about mushrooms, but it's not, and 'Dog' is definitely not about a dog."

Meglioranza then added, somewhat ruefully, "I nodded and laughed, like I knew what he was talking about."

Meglioranza must have figured it out, because the meanings were perfectly clear when he sang, and the audience laughed, applauding warmly in appreciation.