EVANSTON, Ill. --- Spanish guitar virtuoso Paco Peña will bring his eight-member troupe of Spanish musicians, flamenco dancers and singers to Northwestern University’s Evanston campus for an evening of soulful singing, dancing, rhythmic clapping and passionate guitar music.

The Paco Peña Flamenco Dance Company: “Flamenco in Concert” program at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10, at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, 50 Arts Circle Drive, is part of the School of Music’s 2005-06 Segovia Classical Guitar Series.

Peña has transformed perceptions of the archetypal Spanish art form of flamenco as a guitarist, composer, dramatist, producer and artistic mentor. He was born in the Andalucian city of Córdoba where he began learning guitar from his older brother at the age of six. Peña made his first professional appearance at the age of 12.

In 1981, he founded the Centro Flamenco Paco Peña in Cordoba, later becoming artistic director of the Cordoba International Guitar Festival. Since 1970 he has performed regularly with his own handpicked company of dancers, guitarists and singers in a succession of groundbreaking performances around the world. He is considered by many to be the world’s premiere flamenco guitar player.

The Feb. 10 concert is part of Flamenco Festival 2006, presented by the Instituto Cervantes de Chicago in collaboration with the City of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs.

Concert tickets are $32 for the general public; $28 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $12 for students.

To order tickets by phone, call (847) 467-4000 or go to www.pickstaiger.com.