Don’t miss the first concert of the year with classical guitarist, Brad Richter. This concert will be held Monday April 13, 2009 at 7:30 pm in the Vernon Worthen Park, located at 300 South 400 East. Admission is FREE! Recognized as one of the leading guitarists and guitar composers of the 21st century, Brad Richter has reinvigorated the guitar repertoire with a freshness and unaffectedness that transcends preconceived genres.
Brad began teaching himself to play guitar and compose at age 12. At 18, having had no formal musical training, he was awarded the Presidential Scholarship to the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago where he began performing, composing, and eventually teaching professionally. After completing his undergraduate degrees in performance and composition, Brad accepted a scholarship to the Royal College of Music in London where he studied with guitarist Carlos Bonell. He became the first guitarist in the college’s history to win the coveted Thomas Morherr Prize, and went on to win the Royal College of Music guitar competition before completing his Master's degree and returning to the US to continue his concert career.
Throughout North America and Europe, Brad has performed as a soloist, with renowned chamber ensembles and in duos with artists such as Grammy winning cellist, David Finckel of the Emerson String Quartet. His performances and compositions are frequently heard on NPR and PBS stations around the United States and he has also written and performed the score for the Emmy award winning PBS television series, The Desert Speaks.
Festival appearances have included the Guitar Festival of Great Britain, The London International Guitar Festival (with Carlos Bonell, Alirio Diaz and John Williams), The Aspen Music Festival and the Walnut Valley Festival, where he won the National Finger-picking Championship, a competition that features some of the world's finest guitarists from all genres. Additionally, Brad won first place in the 2004 International Composer’s Guild Competition. Mel Bay, GSP and Lathkill Music Publishers publish Brad’s books and compositions and his critically acclaimed new CD: A Whisper in the Desert, is now available from Acoustic Music Records.
While at home in Tucson, Arizona, Brad teaches music at the University of Arizona and is the Artistic Director of Lead Guitar!, a not-for-profit he co-founded in 2006, which establishes guitar programs in schools around the country with large populations of at-risk-youth. He also enjoys hiking, running, biking and playing his guitar in the mountains and deserts that surround Tucson. The rugged beauty of the American southwest continues to be a source of inspiration for much his music.
Sponsored by the Utah Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, The Western States Arts Federation & the City of St. George, Concert in the Park 2009 Series is free to the public. Don’t miss the second Monday of each month April through September. Park seating is available, bring blankets, lawn chairs, food and the family. For more information call 435-627-4525.
