People who attended UA faculty guitarist James Marron’s performance got to escape the stress of school and work by listening to classical music from other countries.

Marron, the professor of UA School of Music’s popular “Bach to Rock” class, performed last Wednesday, April 15, in Guzzetta Recital Hall. This classical guitar performance was free and open to the public.

“I felt like I was in Spain. You could tell it took a lot of talent to perform as well as [Marron] did,” said Clarke Lewis, a student in Marron’s Bach to Rock class.

Marron played numerous songs of Spanish, Italian, and French origin. He also had guest musicians and narrators come together and perform “The Remarkable Farkle McBride,” a children’s story with text written by John Lithgow, popular actor from films such as “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” and “Interstellar.”

Marron said he chose “The Remarkable Farkle McBride” as his focal piece for the evening; the other songs he chose were meant to complement it. Marron said he likes to center a show on a song he has never played, challenging himself with something different at each performance.

About 30 people came to the evening performance. Marron played six pieces, all from memorization.

Marron said he started playing guitar at a young age. Since then, he has studied the art, playing many times at UA each year. He also said he is humbled to expand his work and join the Cleveland Symphony as a guest musician on May 3 for their family concert, “Vivaldi’s Ring of Mystery”

“I look forward to the future of the guitar department,” Marron said.

The Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences School of Music offers many free concerts throughout the year—including events such Marron’s—featuring faculty members and recitals with student performances. For more information on events, visit the UA School of Music link http://www.uakron.edu/music/.