On Dec. 16, Rock Ridge High School guitar collaborated with Stone Hill Middle School to put on a successful winter concert directed by guitar teacher Matthew Dunlap and orchestra and guitar teacher Teresa Gordon. 

Over 115 seventh and eighth graders from Stone Hill Middle School traveled to Rock Ridge High School in order to perform in the first half of the winter concert. The middle school performances were separated into two levels, with each level performing different pieces. Before the middle school performances began, Rock Ridge guitar players from the artist guitar class stepped up to assist the younger performers in tuning their instruments. 

Both the middle and high school guitar departments have put in hard work and dedication in preparation for their winter performance. “I’ve been practicing for months now,” Senior Tamia Styles said. “I enjoy listening to music, creating music, and being able to make whatever I want.” 

The guitar winter concert featured 13 different songs. Highlights from the guitar performance included “Izika Zumba,” a traditional South African Folk Song, and a “Holiday Surprise” that was performed by the artist guitar class as the finale of the winter concert.

Senior Matthew Farley, who has been playing for six years, looked forward to playing the song “Images” by David Adelle during the guitar concert. “It is a very interesting piece and I think the audience will like it,” Farley said. “The piece is in 7/4 [time signature] and you get to hit the guitar like a bongo and I get to play contrabass. It’s also got a bunch of cool base lines.” Contrabass is the lowest-voiced instrument in a family.

Other guitar performers also admired the unity displayed through this concert between the different guitar communities. “My favorite part of playing guitar is working as a group and seeing all the music come together,” sophomore Anya Meredith said. “I work well with people and I’m always willing to try something new.”

Directors Dunlap and Gordon enjoyed seeing their hard work ultimately pay off in this performance. “The concert was great,” Dunlap said, “I just love music.” 

Not only was the annual guitar winter concert a huge success, but it also gave guitar students of all levels a chance to come together as a community and take part in this festive tradition. “I think that the annual guitar winter concert is something a lot of the guitar performers look forward to,” junior Nina Lal said. “This experience was unifying and was like a big step into the new year.”

Gallery • 7 Photos

Naomi Cho

As sophomore Rayhaan Mohammed strums his guitar, he watches Dunlap’s conducting to ensure that he is keeping a steady rhythm.