Cleveland-based guitarist Robert Gruca spent a day this week at the University of Akron. He played a fantastic concert and gave a lively and informative class for the studio. 

Gruca's concert featured brilliant renditions of three Elizabethan lute works and a totally convincing treatment of a (David Russell arrangement of a) Baroque suite by J. B. Loeillet. He also featured several standards: Barrios' La Catedral, Rodrigo's Invocacion y Danza, Brouwer's El Decameron Negro and Morel's Sonatina. The entire recital was played with virtuosic flair and professional polish. The crowd was extremely enthusiastic. 

Gruca's master class was a high-energy exploration of interpretation and real-time performance strategies. He offered terrific advice to four of Akron's MM candidates.

First up was Adam Keeler, who played the Prelude from Bach's Suite BWV 997:

Next, Jeremy Avalos played the Allegro from Bach's Prelude, Fugue and Allegro, BWV 998:

Then Philip Logan played Toru Takemitsu's Equinox: 

Finally, Sarah Boyson played the Allegro from Bach's second Violin Sonata, BWV 1003: