Contact: Maridith Geuder
Michael K. Patilla
The Advent season will be greeted in Starkville Nov. 30 with the recital of a Mississippi State classical guitarist.
Michael K. Patilla, a lecturer at the university, performs at a 4 p.m. free, public program at the First United Methodist Church. In addition to Christmas music, Patilla's selections include the works of Augustin Barrios and Johann Kreutzer, both composers of chamber and solo music for classical guitar.
The program is part of the MSU Faculty Artist Series sponsored by the music education department.
A graduate of the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester (N.Y.), Patilla has studied guitar with virtuosos Nicholas Goluses and Paul O'Dette. Earlier this year, he received the second-place award in the 2003 Volos International Guitar Competition in Volos, Greece, and was a finalist in the 1998 Italian International Guitar Competition.
In addition to the Eastman School's chamber orchestra, he has been a featured soloist with the Alabama Symphony and Red Mountain Chamber orchestras, both in Birmingham. He also has displayed his talents at a variety of regional music venues, including the Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, S.C.
The First United Methodist Church at 200 West Lampkin St. is near the Starkville Electric Department building in the downtown area.
For more information about the concert, telephone the music education department at (662) 325-3070.