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Proudly standing on stage, students of the guitar program give thanks to the audience after the annual winter guitar concert (bottom left) Senior Jourdan Harper plays an original piece, “Acidity.” Harper, as well as others from the program, says that he plays for self-expression. (bottom center) Guitar teacher Stephan Schyga gives a short recap of the guitar program. (bottom right) Sophomore Ryan Norton begins to play his composition, “Day Dream” on electric guitar. The majority of the songs featured in the concert were written by the guitar students. all photos by Briana Sanchez
| CAMI GONZALEZ | entertainment editor eaturing music from John Meyer and the Dixie Chicks, along with an arrangement of classical flamenco and self-composed songs performed by the top guitar students in the guitar program, the winter concert on Dec. 10 was an hour and a half of pure artistry. Proceeds from the concert are going used to buy new equipment. The opening song, “Spain,” is an upbeat melody by Chick Corea, a Spanish composer. It was performed by guitarists Ryan Norton, Nikolai Schyga, Abraham Marinelarena, Jourdan Harper, and David Flores, accompanied by Fransisco Cano on bass, Scott Lyon with percussion and Cesar Vargas playing the cello. Originally written as a quartet, “El Gato Montes” by Manuel Penella was brilliantly adapted to fit seven guitarists, Gabriel Hinojosa, Cesar Romero, Jesus Ochoa, Luis Rodriguez, Rion Thompson, Miguel Orta, and Alejandro Marquez. Diego Valdez accompanied by Pablo Morales on rhythm guitar covered “Gravity” by John Meyer. Valdez’s voice is amazingly soothing, and has an uncanny resemblance to Meyer’s own sonorous sound. Another amazing vocal/rhythm guitar duo was Andrea Flores and Celeste Concha, rendering a cover of the Dixie Chicks’ hit single, “Travelin’ Soldier.” The country oriented song was a refreshing, not-your-everyday performance. Guitar teacher Stephan Schyga took over the program in 2002 and since then has been dedicated to directing the artistic youths in his curriculum to step out of their shells and find a way to express themselves through music, not only by performing, but also through songwriting. Since age 10, Abraham Marinelarena has been Schyga’s student. He began with private lessons then joined the program his freshman year. Marinelarena was the first in the concert who performed an original piece. He wrote “Mi Hermana” and says the inspiration for the song came from his sister. “Aroma a Mujer,” translating into “Scent of a Woman,” was written by Miguel Orta. The song is reminiscent to an 80s soft ballad. Luis Rodriguez also performed one of his own songs, “Solitude.” It is a beautiful melody with the feeling of a lullaby. The song is gentle and is perfect for someone who wishes to just sit back and relax. Josh Saenz, singer of local band Ashes of Angels, showcased an original song, “Impulse,” and performed it beautifully. Briana Hernandez and Elizabeth Canales wrote the song “Those Days” in a collaborative effort. Hernandez’s rare voice has some Norah Jones repertoire about it; she definitely has raw talent. Every time she hit a high note, I got goose bumps. The combination of vocals and guitar was stunning. On electric, Ryan Norton composed a fast-paced, but mesmerizing tune, which is perfectly named “Day Dream,” and listening to it evokes the effect of traveling through space. The song is, simply stated, breathtaking. Jourdan Harper originally learned on the electric; it wasn’t until two years ago that he joined Schyga’s class and began playing with nylon string. About 80-90 percent of the music he plays is his own creation. Harper’s original piece, “Acidity,” is hypnotizing. I was a puppet and each note that Harper played served as my puppet master. The song is one of the most memorable from the concert. Overall, the guitar program delivered a stunning show. Those who didn’t go should be kicking themselves for missing out. Fortunately, there will be another concert in the spring; think of it as a second chance to witness brilliance.
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