December at RHS is a busy time of year for the music department. The music classes held their second semi-annual guitar and piano concerts. This is an opportunity for students taking piano and guitar classes to perform what they have learned throughout the first semester.

The guitar students performed pieces with as many as four guitarists playing at once Dec. 2. Piano students will perform Dec. 16; where each musician will play a piece individually.

Guitar and piano teacher Ronald Johnson is looking forward to the concert and seeing the students perform in front of an audience. “The students will have an opportunity to really feel good about themselves and what they have accomplished up to this point,” Johnson said.

The students have been working with music since the first day of school, but they recently started focusing on the specific songs they will be performing in front of their instructors, families and peers.

The musicians will be receiving a grade for the concert since the student’s work every day during their 45 minute class to perfect their pieces.

Freshman pianist Koby Kovacs is ready for the concert because of all the preparation he had been doing. “I expect that anyone who came was amazed at what they saw and heard,” said Kovacs.

One song the students played is “Charlotte’s Web,” which involves four guitar parts playing at the same time so each student had his or her own part.

Senior guitar player Dylan Stevens went over his material and tried to memorize it so he could do his best. “I had hoped that everyone is prepared and that everyone brought their best,” Stevens said. Stevens performed a solo called “Minuet in G Minor” during which the crowd was silent to listen to his performance.

One of the most talked about performances at the concert was the father-daughter duet performed by Amy and Jose Molina. They performed the song “Dust in the Wind” by Kansas. During the performance Amy had started off with the melody and throughout the song Jose joined in with the harmony.

Johnson always looks forward to the concerts because he believes that they will help get the community together to celebrate the hardworking youth, as they watch students showcase their talents.