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02/2016 Ronald Radford, Flamenco Guitarist & Guest Presenter - Presentation: "The Power of Practice" - at Booker T. Washington High School, Tulsa, OK.

Reviews – from Booker T. Washington Orchestra members:

“Mr. Radford’s representation of Spanish music and culture helped us appreciate its many contrasts to American music and culture. He gave us a new outlook on music and how to approach it.” – from the cello and bass sections

“The shear passion and truth of Mr. Radford’s performance and words were inspiring. It really gave us a new outlook on the necessity of practice. It showed us that being passionate about something will give us the ability to do anything we want. His story also gave us the motivation to be different and fulfill our dreams, even though we are from small-town Tulsa. His performance was truly inspirational and uplifting, and will be remembered and cherished. Ronald es un ejemplo del éxito que viene de su amor de la musica flamenca.” – from the viola section

“The concert was interesting and very entertaining. The ‘triad of success’ (purpose, passion and persistence) was insightful and heavily emphasized. We were delightfully shocked by how much he practiced ever day (8-10 hours a day for two years). We empathize with his lack of encouragement to follow his dream. We think it is really cool how he learned the musical style aurally. We were impressed by how he uses his fingernails to strum – and how fast his rhythm was. All in all, we were very impressed by his performance. ¡Su concierto fue muy interesante y me encantó su musica!” – from the woodwinds & percussion sections

“We learned to follow our dreams and to be mavericks, to not care what to think of others. As musicians, we learned the value of practice and determination. Also, his story gave us the confidence to believe in ourselves. ‘Persistence, passion and practice’ was his motto, and we will try to apply it to our learning methods. Relating his motivation to his life gave it a more personal and relatable feel. Finding your passion in life makes you look forward to work. Todo fue muy lindo. Nos encanto el mensaje que nos ensueño. Su música nos encanta a todos. Mucho gracias por venire a nuestra escuela para enseñar nos de la musica.” – from the 2nd violin section

“Thanks to Mr. Radford for playing and inspiring us with his passion! It was really exciting to see someone so passionate about their music. It was informative while still being fun. His words of wisdom really spoke to us all. Muchas gracias!” – from the 1st violin section