Local Guitarist/Southeast Instructor performs free concert at Cup n' Cork

On Friday, July 15, at 7:30 pm at The Cup n’ Cork in downtown Cape Girardeau guitarist and Southeast Missouri State University faculty member Patrick Rafferty will present an exciting concert of works for solo guitar. The program will feature a wide range of musical styles, including some of the best-known works for the classical guitar, like Isaac Albeniz’s “Asturias” and other beloved Spanish compositions. Patrick will also be playing many of his own arrangements of well-known popular music. Songs like, “Jackson”, made famous by Johnny Cash and June Carter-Cash and “Workingman Blues” by Merle Haggard are a small sampling of what will be performed on this special evening.

This concert is free to the public and seating is available. The Cup n’ Cork features a menu of small plates, sandwiches and salads with a beautiful outside patio located at 11 South Spanish Street in Cape Girardeau’s historic downtown. A full drink menu will also be available.

More information about Patrick can be found at patrickraffertyguitar.com

Patrick Rafferty is an active professional guitarist, offering solo and ensemble concerts, guitar lessons and event bookings throughout the Midwest. His solo playing features not only the works of the traditional guitar repertoire but also a wide variety of popular and world musical styles.

As a student, Patrick has earned several academic degrees in guitar performance. In 2004 he earned a Bachelors degree from Southeast Missouri State University where he studied with Jeffrey Noonan. He continued his studies at the Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University, earning the Master of Music degree in 2006 and the Graduate Performance Diploma in 2008 under Julian Gray. At Peabody, Patrick gave numerous performances, most notably in the classes of Manuel Barrueco and as a featured performer in the Thursday Noon Concert Series. In May 2008, Patrick was voted the top graduate performer by his peers at Peabody.

As a performer, Patrick has won several competitions and in 2011 he became only the third guitarist in over sixty years to win a top prize in the Artist Presentation Society Auditions in St. Louis, Missouri. Patrick has also been a first prize winner in the Southeast Missouri State University Concerto Competition in 2004 and in the Missouri Music Teachers Association in 2003.

Patrick maintains a busy schedule of solo and ensemble recitals. Recent concerts include solo and ensemble appearances with Chamber Project Saint Louis, in the Chamber Music Sundays at Three Series, the Elliot Chapel Friends of Music Series, the Shepley Concert Series at Christ Church Cathedral in St Louis, and numerous appearances at The Tavern of Fine Arts. In the Spring of 2015 Patrick will be featured in a series of concerts with Chamber Project Saint Louis. In 2012, Patrick performed with oboist Laura Ross at the International Double Reed Convention and over the years he has appeared as a soloist on the campuses of numerous educational institutions throughout Missouri and Illinois. Other performances include on-air appearances on NPR affiliate KRCU as well as on the Saint Louis Classical Guitar Society’s radio program “Inside Classical Guitar.”

Patrick is currently on the guitar faculty of Southeast Missouri State University and the Webster Community Music School. His recently graduated students have been accepted into the prestigious guitar programs of The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University, The Jacobs School at Indiana University, Northwestern University and Denver University.