THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY College of Music presents
Guest Artist Recital
Fowler/Mrofchak Guitar Duo Francois Fowler Christopher Mrofchak
Friday, October 23, 2026 7:30 p.m. | Longmire Recital Hall
PROGRAM Agaguk’s Death (War for the Northwest Passage)
François Fowler (b. 1970)
Piano Sonata No. 14, Op. 27, No. 2 “Moonlight Sonata” I. Adagio sostenuto
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827) arr. M. Mela/L. Micheli
Piano Sonata No. 1, Op. 2, No. 1 I. Allegro
Ludwig van Beethoven arr. F. Fowler
Four Letters to Wormwood (after C.S. Lewis) I. Patient’s Contemplation II. Screwtape’s Directives III. Small Sins and Nothingness IV. Law of Undulation
François Fowler
The Well-Tempered Guitars, Op. 199 Prelude and Fugue VII in C-sharp minor Prelude and Fugue VIII in A-flat
Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco (1895–1968)
Overture in the French Style, BWV 831
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 – 1750) arr. F. Fowler
To Ensure An Enjoyable Concert Experience For All… Please refrain from talking, entering, or exiting during performances. Food and drink are prohibited in all concert halls. Recording or broadcasting of the concert by any means, including the use of digital cameras, cell phones, or other devices is expressly forbidden. Please deactivate all portable electronic devices including watches, cell phones, pagers, hand-held gaming devices or other electronic equipment that may distract the audience or performers. Recording Notice: This performance may be recorded. Please note that members of the audience may at times be included in this process. By attending this performance you consent to have your image or likeness appear in any live or recorded video or other transmission or reproduction made in conjunction to the performance. Florida State University provides accommodations for persons with disabilities. Please notify the College of Music at (850) 644-3424 at least five working days prior to a musical event to request accommodation for disability or alternative program format.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS Born in Warren, Ohio, in 1991, Christopher Mrofchak began his guitar studies as a young child with his father. Mrofchak’s formal studies continued at the Dana School of Music of Youngstown State University under the direction of François Fowler. He received several awards at YSU, including the Dana School of Music Talent Scholarship and 2nd prize at the James Stroud All-Ohio guitar competition. Mrofchak went on to study with world-renowned pedagogue Bruce Holzman at Florida State University. While working as a teaching assistant to Professor Holzman, Mrofchak placed in several competitions, including the Southern Guitar Festival and Competition, the Troy University Guitar Competition, the University of Louisville Guitar Festival and Competition, and the Indiana International Guitar Festival and Competition. In 2019, Christopher was selected as one of fifteen guitarists worldwide to compete in the prestigious Parkening International Guitar Competition. He has performed in many cities in the United States, including Akron, Beverly Hills, Bloomington, Cleveland, Columbia, Columbus, Gainesville, Louisville, Malibu, Pittsburgh, Tallahassee, Warren, and Youngstown. Besides his soloist activities, Mrofchak concertizes as part of the Fowler/Mrofchak Guitar Duo with François Fowler. Mrofchak has been an active teacher by establishing the classical guitar at the North Florida String Festival with Dr. Kasia Bugaj and working with students at Mason’s School of Music, Chipola College, and Florida State University. In addition to local teaching activities, Mrofchak has taught masterclasses at the Troy University Guitar Festival. He earned the Doctor of Music degree from Florida State University in 2021. Guitarist Francois Fowler has given recitals in the United States, Canada and Mexico, including concerts in Akron, Albany, Auburn, Beloit (OH), Canton, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus (OH), Columbus (GA), Dayton, Denver, Grand Rapids, Hagerstown, Hartford, Jekyll Island, Kennesaw, Los Angeles, Montréal (Canada), Monterrey (Mexico), Ottawa (Canada), Pittsburgh, Rochester, Saluda (NC), San Jose, Sauble Beach (Canada), Seattle, Spartanburg, Springfield (IL), Syracuse, Tallahassee, Tampa, Tifton, Virginia Beach, Williamsburg, and Youngstown. Fowler is the recipient of national and international prizes including finalist in the 2001 Guitar Foundation of America (GFA) International Guitar Competition. A faculty member at the Dana School of Music (Youngstown State University, Ohio), he maintains an active guitar studio and coaches guitar ensembles. Fowler’s students have been prizewinners in competitions and have been offered full scholarships and graduate teaching assistantships to attend graduate music programs including Columbus State University (Georgia), Florida State University, Indiana UniversityBloomington, the University of Cincinnati, and Youngstown State University. Fowler obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of Ottawa, Canada, where he studied with Ed Honeywell, and his Doctorate from Florida State University where he was a teaching assistant to the renowned pedagogue, Professor Bruce Holzman. Fowler performs on a Thomas Humphrey guitar with D’Addario Strings, his compositions and arrangements are published by Clear Note Publications, and his recordings are released by CBC records, Canadian Music Center, Clear Note, Novalis, and independently. His latest CD Sonata features music by C.P.E. Bach, J.S. Bach, Agustin Barrios, Gregorio Huet, and Domenico Scarlatti. Fowler is also a founding member of Duo Allant with flutist Kathryn Thomas Umble, as well as the Fowler/Mrofchak Guitar Duo with Christopher Mrofchak.