In the tradition of bringing artists of world renown to the St. Peter campus, the Gustavus Artist Series is pleased to present classical guitarist Robert Gruca in concert in Jussi Björling Recital Hall on Friday, October 11 at 7:30 p.m. Friday’s recital is part of a day-long Artist Series residency by the guitarist that includes a lecture/demonstration, open to the public, in Björling at 2:30 p.m. Tickets for Friday’s concert by Robert Gruca are available online at gustavustickets.com or by calling the Gustavus Ticket Center at 507-933-7590.
Robert Gruca is an exciting guitarist who performs a wide range of solo, chamber, and concerto repertoire. In recent seasons, he has played solo concerts in Ohio, Michigan, New York, Virginia, West Virginia, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, and Canada. He won first prize in the Columbus State Guitar Symposium Competition, the Appalachian State Guitar Festival Competition, and the East Carolina University Guitar Festival Competition. He was a top prize winner in the Rantucci International Guitar Competition and a semifinalist in the Guitar Foundation of America Competition and the JoAnn Falletta International Guitar Concerto Competition.
In recent seasons, he has played solo concerts in Ohio, Michigan, New York, Virginia, West Virginia, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, and Canada. In a 2006 compact disc, Robert Gruca recorded solo guitar works by Bogdanovic, Koshkins, Dyens, Rodrigo, Schubert and J.S. Bach. He has recently completed a recording of several pieces by Handel including some original transcriptions. That compact disc was released under the MSR record label in 2012.
Robert Gruca has studied with John Holmquist and Jason Vieaux at the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he received a Master of Music degree. Previous teachers include Brian Morris of Grand Valley State University and Roger Humphrey of Olivet College. He has participated in master classes with such prominent guitarists as David Russell, Lily Afshar, Judicael Perroy, Stephen Robinson, Sergio & Odair Assad, Hubert Kappel, Antigoni Goni, and the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet.
The program for Friday’s concert will open with three Renaissance works by Robert Johnson and John Dowland, followed by the Sonata in A minor HWV 362 by George F. Handel. The first half will conclude with La Catedral by Agustin Barrios Mangore. Following intermission, Gruca will return to the stage to perform Jorge Morei’s Sonatina and Leo Brouwer’s three-movement El Decameron Negro, before concluding the performance with Giulio Regondi’s Air varie de l’opera de Bellini.
This Gustavus Artist Series performance by classical guitarist Robert Gruca will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, October 11 at Björling Recital Hall on the Gustavus Adolphus College campus. Tickets will be available at the door but are available in advance online at gustavustickets.com or by calling 507-933-7590.
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