World-renowned guitarist to perform in Fort Scott Oct. 14

Herald-Tribune

Fort Scott -- A globally known guitarist and a former U. S. State Department music ambassador will perform a concert in Fort Scott next weekend.

The E.C. Gordon Fine Arts Series will present flamenco guitarist Ron Radford at 7 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 14, in the Fort Scott High School auditorium.

The concert is sponsored by the Bourbon County Arts Council. BCAC executive director Peggy Cummings said she is excited to present such a talented musician.

"I think it's great," Cummings said. "If you don't know flamenco guitar, he'll do a lot of talking about his music during the concert. If you are familiar with flamenco guitar, you'll really be able to appreciate this man's talents."

Tickets for the concert, which can be purchased at FSHS the day of the event, cost $10 for adults, $5 for students over 10 years old with a school I.D, and children under 10 are admitted free of charge.

In addition to the concert, Radford will visit Fort Scott Middle School on Friday afternoon to present various workshops to music students. Cummings said that students have received study guides about flamenco guitar to prepare for the workshops.

Radford, a St. Louis, Mo., native, has gained worldwide fame as he has performed in 15 countries on four continents. His international tours have taken him from Australia to Switzerland and from Canada to Panama. He has toured for the U.S. State Department as a musical ambassador in Mexico, Guatemala and other Latin American countries.

The protégé of the legendary Carlos Montoya is currently on tour, on a college and concert series across the United States. His performances in the United States have included concerts at Carnegie Hall in New York and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

Radford has spent time traveling Spain with classical masters Andres Sergovia and Jose Thomas. He is the only person to be awarded the Fulbright Scholarship in Flamenco.

The concert is supported by Mid-America Arts Alliance with underwriting by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Kansas Arts Commission and foundations, corporations and individuals throughout Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas.