Grammy Award-winning classical guitarist David Russell, one of the foremost guitarists in his genre, will perform at Holsclaw Hall on Sunday.

Russell is known for the connection he makes with his audience and his incredible musicality on stage. He will perform a set list of songs from his albums.

The concert is funded by the Tucson Guitar Society, an organization that puts on concerts, hosts guitar orchestras and produces a yearly performance series.

The money to fund these events comes mainly from donations, according to Julia Pernet, a TGS board member. Pernet said that the Russell performance is funded by Sandy Bolton and his wife, who gave the largest donation that TGS has ever received. TGS has funded Russell’s performances yearly.

Russell is more than just a distinguished performer and musician; for a week prior to his concert, the artist taught master classes to the guitar performance majors at the UA. During this one week every year, Russell connects personally with each of his students. Last year, he played a key part in helping to send one of the School of Music’s guitar performance majors to Spain for an intensive study abroad experience.

Russell has 27 CDs and rarely repeats songs from one to the next.
The guitarist spends the majority of his time touring prestigious venues such as Wigmore Hall in London and Bunka Kaikan in Tokyo. Last year, Russell and his wife spent three months at their home in Spain and the rest of their year touring.

When Russell isn’t traveling, he and his wife direct their efforts toward their charities. Their work includes the development and promotion of healthy drinking water in African countries, the maintenance of schools for handicapped and disabled children in India and more.

“There’s always something fascinating about a person who has become the best in their field,” Pernet said.