Described as creating “music of dramatic power and lyric beauty,” Dr. Ben Lougheed knows how to draw in audiences and give them “another dimension in which to enjoy [his]
performances.” A performer, entrepreneur, and pedagogue in his multifaceted career, Ben’s diverse professional experiences include over ten years of performances, community
engagement, music entrepreneurship, and teaching. Audiences, colleagues, and critics have repeatedly referred to Ben as “an emerging force in the classical guitar world,” with “beautiful”
and “extremely precise” playing.
A central thread to all of Ben’s work is his focus on education and outreach. His desire to engage audiences and communities through vivid and captivating musical performances is only
strengthened by his love of connecting with his audience through informative exchanges. These lively audience-performer interactions serve to strengthen each person’s experience with the music and have been enthusiastically received by concertgoers around the country, including
recent performances for the Treasure Coast Guitar Society, Kerrytown Concert House, and the Dale Mabry Guitar Series.
Ben is also a highly sought-after and accomplished teacher who has built one of the largest Suzuki guitar studios in the Southeastern United States. As the only guitarist in the world
with a doctorate and all nine Suzuki book certifications, Ben is in demand as a guest instructor at events across the country. His students have been selected for the All-State and All-National ensembles and won prizes at multiple guitar competitions.
Ben’s creative fingerprints can be seen all around his community via his numerous projects and collaborations. As the founder and director of the Florida Guitar Festival, Ben has
raised over $65,000 to bring together hundreds of burgeoning musicians and students for educational activities, concerts, and competitions. Additionally, Ben’s work with the festival included a collaboration with GRAMMY-winner Bill Kanengiser on the first recorded performance of Sergio Assad’s piece, “The Walls.” Furthermore, Ben’s community engagement includes being a Founder and Director of the Tallahassee Chapter of Classical Revolution, a classical music outreach organization that produced dozens of classical music concerts in nontraditional venues.
Ben’s debut album, Baroque Legacies, showcases music by influential and celebrated Baroque composers parallel with contemporary pieces inspired by these historic paragons of
the music world. Described as “emotionally delicious from start to finish” and “technically perfect,” this recording provides a glimpse into how lyrical beauty is pervasive through time.

Christopher Mrofchak began playing guitar at an early age taking lessons from his father. Later, he set about formal studies at the Dana School of Music of Youngstown State University under the direction of Dr. François Fowler. While at YSU, Christopher worked with various chamber groups, including the Early Music Ensemble, Dana Guitar Quartet, and the Dana Gypsy Jazz Ensemble. Mrofchak also received numerous awards at YSU, including 2nd prize at the James Stroud All-Ohio guitar competition. In 2014, he 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 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.

Christopher has performed in many cities in the United States, including Akron, Beverly Hills, Bloomington, Chattanooga, Cleveland, Columbia, Columbus, Gainesville, Louisville, Malibu, Pittsburgh, Tallahassee, Tifton, Warren, and Youngstown. In addition to his work as a soloist, Mrofchak concertizes as part of the Fowler Mrofchak Guitar Duo, having completed two tours of the eastern U.S. in 2022.

Mrofchak is active as an educator, having taught at several schools throughout North Florida, including Chipola College and, most recently, Wakulla High School. His students have performed at the North Florida String Festival, Florida Guitar Festival, and Classical Guitar Society at FSU events. Mrofchak earned his Doctorate of Music at Florida State University in 2021 with the completion of a treatise discussing the music of Brazilian virtuoso Sérgio Assad. Christopher performs on a cedar double-top guitar built by Glenn Canin.