A classical guitar player will be a concert series from the Ironton Council for the Arts and the Lawrence County Concert Series.

Robert Gruca will perform 7:30 p.m. Feb. 27 at the Bowman Auditorium of Ohio University Southern.

Gruca is, who is also a guitar instructor, performs a wide range of solo, chamber, and concerto repertoire. In recent seasons, he has played solo concerts in Ohio, Michigan, New York, Virginia, West Virginia, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, and Canada.

Possessing powerful musical interpretation and complete technical command over his instrument, Gruca has already earned several first prizes in national guitar competitions. He won first prize in the Columbus State Guitar Symposium Competition, the Appalachian State Guitar Festival Competition, and the East Carolina University Guitar Festival Competition. He was a top prize winner in the Rantucci International Guitar Competition and a semifinalist in the Guitar Foundation of America Competition and the JoAnn Falletta International Guitar Concerto Competition.

Other awards and honors include receiving the 2007 Distinguished Alumni award from Grand Valley State University, Department of Music.

Gruca has studied with John Holmquist and Jason Vieaux at the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he received a Master of Music degree. Previous teachers include Brian Morris of Grand Valley State University and Roger Humphrey of Olivet College.

He has participated in masters classes with guitarists David Russell, Lily Afshar, Judicael Perroy, Stephen Robinson, Sergio & Odair Assad, Hubert Kappel, Antigoni Goni, and the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet.

If you go:

Robert Gruca will perform at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 27 at the Ohio University Southern Bowman Auditorium. Tickets are $10 at the door.