Though music instructor George Lindquist has spent the past 16 years at UW-Whitewater teaching countless students the ways of classical and folk guitar, tonight will be his moment in the spotlight to show off an art he has perfected since his early years.

Lindquist will perform a faculty recital with his guitar at 7:30 p.m. tonight in the Greenhill Center of the Arts.

Lindquist will play eight solo pieces. The first half will consist of “Prelude in E,” “Sonatina meridional” and “Valse” by Manuel M. Ponce, along with “Nocturno” and “Turegano” by Federico Moreno-Torroba.

After the intermission, music professor Robin Fellows, who plays the flute, will accompany Lindquist. They will perform the guitar/flute duets, “Sonate a-moll, op. 1” by Jean Baptiste Loeillet, and “Sonatina, Op. 205” by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco.

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, the recital will close with the Irish song, “Da Chara” (Two Friends) by Ian Krouse.

Lindquist’s love for music began at a very young age. As a child, he watched and admired his father as he played the guitar and sang for his family. Lindquist first learned how to play an instrument when he was 12 years old.

He started off playing the ukulele and gradually advanced to playing the guitar. He can also play the piano, lute and other early instruments that are similar to the guitar, like the vihuela.

Though Lindquist boasts nearly two decades of teaching, the road to becoming a music teacher was not always clear.

As a young adult, he traveled around northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin performing with his pop music band.

After tiring of life as a traveling musician, Lindquist decided to enroll in college.

Though he did not always have a love for classical guitar, he soon found his passion upon enrolling at Carthage College. He said he knew he wanted to major in music, but the school did not have a program for the guitar at that time.

Lindquist was told that he could study under a professor by the name of James Yoghourtjain to earn his degree. Yoghourtjain was the spark that encouraged and inspired Lindquist’s infatuation with the classical guitar.

Students, faculty, staff and community members will have the opportunity to witness this spark tonight.

Tickets are $5 for general public, $4 for those over 65, and $3 for UW-Whitewater students and those under 18.