Mount Saint Mary College is presenting two free, on-campus events featuring classical Spanish guitarist Francesc de Paula Soler: a talk and short performance on Thursday, October 13 from 5:15 to 7 p.m. in the James Cotter Villa Library, and a performance on Saturday, October 15 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the patio of the Dominican Center.
The public is invited to both events. The Mount is located at 330 Powell Ave., Newburgh, N.Y.
“Maestro Soler,” who will be traveling from Barcelona, Spain for the presentations, will perform classical and popular music from Latin America, jazz, swing, blues, and more.
On October 13, the Mount’s Hispanic Studies Program will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with a talk and performance by Soler. The event is a component of the Hispanic Presence in USA class, taught by Victor Azuaje, professor of Hispanic Studies at the Mount.
On October 15, Soler will again perform at the college, this time outside the college’s Dominican Center.
Soler began his musical and piano studies at the age of 6. At the age of 11, he began to study guitar and received highest honors in the prestigious “Conservatorio Superior de Música” of Barcelona, Spain. After that, he continued his postgraduate work with Andrés Segovia and also received guitar orientations from Narciso Yepes in addition to other notable Latin American guitarists. Soler’s prolific international performances have brought critics to hail him as one of the most notable artists of the guitar world.