International classical guitar maestro Derek Gripper is playing at an Orlando middle school

Classical guitar boundary-pusher Derek Gripper is headed to Orlando to play … a local middle school?

It’s true. The South African guitar maestro is playing a string of Florida dates, with his local engagement taking place at Howard Middle in Thornton Park. (And if you check out his website, you’ll see that he’s playing schools across the country, not just here … so it’s not like local promoters wouldn’t have been happy to book him into a more grownup space.)

Gripper has gained international renown for an adventurous and lyrical sound that blends the works of modern African greats like Toumani Diabaté with European classical composers.

Derek Gripper plays the Howard Middle School Auditorium on Tuesday, Feb. 25, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets will set you back $45-$60 from Humanitix.

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This article appears in Feb 12-18, 2025.