The Guitar 1 and 2 classes delivered standout performances for their biannual guitar showcase in the PAC on Thursday evening. Directed by guitar teacher John Jordan, the concert highlighted the growth and talent of each class. Featuring a wide range of repertoire—from Mozart’s delicate “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” to the aggressive and dramatic electric guitar riffs in “Barracuda” by Heart—the concert both captivated the audience and displayed months of students’ hard work.
Guitar 1’s period 4 class ensemble opened the performance. Junior keyboard Navid Riahi, lead guitar junior Lucca Keighery, bass player freshman Natalia Acosta Pendraza, and drummer Adrian Mora Pacheco began with “Head Over Heels” by Tears for Fears, followed by a Mozart piece. Then, vocalist Riahi, Keighery, bass player junior Alec Antar, and Mora Pacheco performed the soft rock song “Lyin’ Eyes” by the Eagles. Riahi’s heartfelt vocals immediately drew the audience in, the four playing together in harmony.
Senior Anja Motuliki sang “Risk It All” by Bruno Mars in a solo, accompanied by Jo. Jordan, drawing some of the loudest applause of the night. Next was Riahi on vocals, joined by Keighery and junior Olavi Ahonala on guitar, performing the soft and reflective “Daughters” by John Mayer. Riahi, Keighery, and sophomore bass Timothy Shenk performed “Friend of the Devil,” an homage to M-A’s local gem of a band, Grateful Dead.
Period 4’s beautiful performance was brought to a close by freshman Natalia Acosta-Pendraza, who performed on vocals and guitar, singing the regional Mexican love song “Platicame De Ti” by Arsenal Efectivo.
Guitar 1’s period 5 started strong with junior Ryan Cunningham on keyboard, Keighery as lead guitar, junior James Jun playing bass, Motuliki on drums, and Dayron Cantarero-Alverado on percussion for a rendition of “Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison.
Together,the four members delivered a gorgeous take on Maroon 5’s classic, “Sunday Morning.” Once again, Motuliki’s jazzy, delicate, and pure vocals took center stage.
After a quick intermission, seniors Mario Sandoval and Alan Vail on guitar, along with senior David Castro on vocals, performed what they called “contemporary modern Mexican music,” featuring “Los Noches” by Junior H. The two guitarists delivered impressive rhythmic work, while Castro provided expressive vocals that carried the melody with style.
Following this was junior Lia Nadav’s* solo, a mix of vocals and harmonica harmonized with Jo. Jordan’s guitar playing, as she performed “It Ain’t Me Babe” by Bob Dylan. Her soft but expressive vocals, along with the addition of harmonica, left the audience impressed.
The performance took a sharp turn from Nadav’s bittersweet folksong as senior Jackson Wright and junior guest Matthew Teeple on guitar, senior Wes Peterson on vocals, and James Jordan on drums took to the stage for a high-energy metallic interpretation of “Seek & Destroy” by Metallica.
Next, Freshman Jay Crowe on bass and Ja. Jordan on drums delivered a powerful performance of “Barracuda” by Heart with strong electronic chords and captivating stage presence.
Period 3’s Guitar 2 class followed the performance with a heartfelt rendition of “The Weight” by The Band. Peterson, Kwon, and freshman Paxton Cunningham’s vocals were complemented by Niko’s drumming and Crowe’s bass. Together, the piece was excellent and much enjoyed by the audience.
As a final hurrah, Peterson on vocals, Zhu and Wright on guitar, Crowe on bass, and Jordan on drums, performed “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin. It was a nostalgic end to the night, with many audience members singing along or bobbing their heads to the music.
Overall, Jo. Jordan provided significant creative freedom to the students, allowing them to choose the pieces performed. “I tried to go by what the kids wanted to do, unless I thought it was a bad idea. So then I kind of steered them towards maybe a compromise, and so that went into choosing the songs,” he said.
The showcase, he explained, was more than a display of the students’ hard work, progress, and talent. It was also an outlet. “Some kids have talents I know about, and others are just crazy and have extra energy they need to let out somehow,” Jo. Jordan said. Each student expressed themselves differently, seen through the variety of genres.
Though some students have been playing guitar, drumming, or singing since they were little, others began this year. For Motuliki, singing has always been a part of her life. “Singing is a passion I have had since I was a kid,” she said. “[My mom and I] would sing a lot for church, so it definitely has an important place in my life.”
Crowe’s first experience with music was at Hillview Middle School. “[Jo.. Jordan] was actually teaching the guitar class after school. Once I found that music was something I wanted to do more of, I started taking lessons from him after school, and it eventually led to me taking this class here,” Crowe said. He is now one of the few freshmen in the Guitar 2 class. “Now, music is kind of my main thing,”
The showcase reflected that same spirit of discovery and expression for performers of every skill level. “You really don’t have to be experienced in music to enjoy it. You can be a total beginner, but I think everyone should get the chance to experience it,” Crowe said.
*Lia Nadav is a journalist for the M-A Chronicle.
