Classical guitarist Rafael Padron was born and raised in Cuba, where he studied the guitar from a young age. But first he had to overcome a challenge.
He was left-handed.
“And my teacher said, we don't teach lefty here, so you need to change your hands, or you have to change the instrument,” Padron said.
He did, and he said while he was working with his teacher and transcribing music, he learned to love classical music. And he made becoming a musician his goal.
Padron said the guitar is an important instrument in Cuba, where Havana-born guitarist and composer Leo Brouwer cast a mighty shadow. Brouwer has composed more than 700 works. And is now in his late 80s.
“The guitar was a very, very powerful instrument in Cuba, you know, we have the fever of Leo Brouwer, one of the most important composers and we have, during that time … so many festivals and all the greatest guitarists in the world visit Cuba through Leo Brouwer,” Padron said.
Padron teaches at the University of Miami Frost School of Music and is performing on Friday, Jan. 30, as part of the Hillsborough College Dale Mabry Guitar Series.
HC mathematics instructor Kathryn Pantelis and HC music instructor Mark Switzer run the series, whose formal name is the “HC Dale Mabry Student Government Association Guitar Series.” It’s been around for decades.
“Kathy Pantelis and I know many of the great players of today — and after 26 years of presenting world-class performers we have acquired quite a footprint amongst the performers and their managements," Switzer said. "Over the years we have presented four Grammy Award-winners and so due to our reputation as a professional venue we receive many inquiries from artists and managers from all over the world for consideration to be a part of our series.”
Over the years, the series has hosted guitarists such as Pepe Romero.
Switzer is a classical guitarist himself. He said he’s known Padron for many years.
“He is an international concert artist and the guitar professor at my old alma mater, the University of Miami, in fact, this will be his second performance for the HC Guitar Series," Switzer said. "He has won top prizes in many national and international classical guitar competitions, and he also has been featured in many guitar festivals such as the International Festival of the Guitar in his native-born Cuba, The International Festival of Music in Caracas, Venezuela where he premiered Leo Brouwer’s 'Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra No. 3', 'Elegíaco,' and The International Guitar Festival in Costa Rica where he premiered Leo Brouwer’s Suite 'From Yesterday to Penny Lane' Just to name a few.”
On Friday, Padron said he’ll perform mostly Latin American and Spanish guitar music, including music dedicated to him by Spanish Composer Juan Erena.
“He’s a great composer. I will be playing two pieces by him. One, “Why,” and the other one is “Panacea,” said Padron.
The concert is at HC Dale Mabry Campus starting at 7:30 You can find icket information here.
