Patterson/Sutton Duo

Saturday, April 27, 2019 at 8:00pm

Clarke Recital Hall
University of Miami
5501 San Amaro Dr.
Coral Gables, FL 33146

Praised by The Strad for their “Wit and imagination”, The trailblazing cello and guitar duo of Dr. Kimberly Patterson and Dr. Patrick Sutton are known for their passionate performances and engaging stage presence as they bring the rich cello and guitar repertoire to audiences around the world. The duo have been featured on Performance Today on American Public Media, Radio New Zealand, Fine Music Radio South Africa, among others. Featured artists at the 2016 Guitar Foundation of America Convention, the Patterson/Sutton Duo frequently concertizes throughout the United States and abroad with recent engagements as Juilliard Global Visiting Artists.

Formed in 2011 as doctoral students at the University of Colorado in Boulder, the Patterson/Sutton duo released their debut album, “Cold Dark Matter: Music for Cello & Guitar,” on the MSR Classics label in May of 2013 to critical acclaim. Composer, Dušan Bogdanović declared: “Everything [on Cold Dark Matter] is performed with excellence and sensitivity. I especially like the beautiful tone and sense of lyricism, though the virtuosity of both is apparent.”

“Hearing Kimberly and Patrick’s duo was a highlight for me at the 2016 GFA. I was amazed by their ability to achieve a perfect balance. Kimberly played with a gorgeous and colorful sound that never seemed inhibited by the logistics of playing with the reputedly more delicate classical guitar. On the contrary, Patrick’s playing was so vibrant that their equal partnership was announced from the first phrase. I know their performance of Dusan Bogdanovic’s four pieces would have brought a big smile to the composer’s face and I was sitting next to Steve Goss when they played his heartbreaking Autumn song. He told me that nobody has ever played it better! The beautiful world of cello and guitar music is currently underrepresented but I don’t think that will be the case much longer as Kimberly and Patrick continue to forge their inspired trail.

The Patterson/Sutton Duo are strong believers in the transformative power of educational outreach. Funded by the US State Department, the duo held a guest artist residency at the Afghanistan National Institute of Music in Kabul in 2014, where they worked with the budding generation of young Afghan Musicians and gave a performance at the Canadian Embassy of Afghanistan. More recently, The Juilliard School sent the duo to Vietnam as guest artists to perform and teach at schools throughout the country as part of the Julliard/Nord Anglia global intuitive.

Their research in the field of cello and guitar music has culminated in lecture-recitals at the 2016 International Guitar Research Center Conference at the University of Surrey and the 2014 Guitar Foundation of America Convention. Soundboard magazine called their GFA talk “a deeply inspiring analysis and performance”. The Patterson/Sutton duo have presented concerts as guest artists at Shanghai Conservatory, the University of Denver, 2016 GFA Convention, Portland International Guitar Series, University of Colorado Guitar Festival, Strings Music Festival in Steamboat Springs, the University of Memphis, Denver Friends of Chamber Music Series, Knoxville Guitar Society, and the Front Range Chamber Players, to name a few. Upcoming concerts include performances at the Clyfford Still Museum, Dublin Guitar Symposium and the Florida Guitar Foundation.

Dr. Patterson holds degrees from the Juilliard School, the Cleveland Institute of Music and the University of Colorado at Boulder. Dr. Sutton holds degrees from the University of Denver and the University of Colorado at Boulder. The duo became husband and wife in June of 2017.

The Patterson/Sutton Duo is
· Cello – Kimberly Patterson
· Guitar – Patrick Sutton

Both of these musicians played with a great deal of excitement and spirit, and their sense of ensemble was well-nigh perfect. It was absolutely gorgeous playing. They played so very well together, their dynamics and phrasing were so good… the musical world needs performers such as these two.