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Fine Arts Division Presents a Classical Guitar Master Class with Christopher Parkening

The Pepperdine University Fine Arts Division will present a classical guitar master class with internationally renowned guitarist Christopher Parkening on Saturday, Feb. 16. The class will take place from 2 to 6 p.m. in Raitt Recital Hall on the Malibu campus. This event if free for auditors.

Parkening serves as Distinguished Professor of Music at Seaver College, where he holds the Christopher Parkening Chair in Classical Guitar.

He is celebrated as one of the world's preeminent virtuosos of the classical guitar. For more than a quarter century, his concerts and recordings have received the highest worldwide acclaim. The Washington Post cited "his stature as the leading guitar virtuoso of our day, combining profound musical insight with complete technical mastery of his instrument."

Parkening is recognized as the heir to the legacy of the great Spanish guitarist Andrés Segovia, who proclaimed that "Christopher Parkening is a great artist—he is one of the most brilliant guitarists in the world."

His rare combination of dramatic virtuosity and eloquent musicianship has captivated audiences around the world from New York to Tokyo. He has played at the White House, appeared with Placido Domingo on Live from Lincoln Center, participated in the Carnegie Hall 100th anniversary celebration, and performed twice on the internationally televised Grammy Awards.

His television appearances include The Tonight Show, The Today Show, Good Morning America, and 20/20. He has recorded over 20 albums and earned two Grammy® nominations in the category of "Best Classical Recording." His autobiography, Grace Like a River, was published by Tyndale House Publishers in 2006.

For more information, visit the Fine Arts Division Web site.