Guidelines for Purchasing a Guitar
Students who have signed up for guitar for 2010-2011 must purchase a guitar. Guitars are not furnished by the school.
An acoustic guitar is required for all classes. Recommended guitars include Yamaha, Epiphone, or Takamine steel string. The standard issue Yamaha C40 is an appropriate classical guitar. Also purchase picks, an extra set of strings matching your guitar, and if possible, a hard shell case.
Shop around this summer for the best deal. Several local music stores offer packages that include accessories (picks, extra strings, digital tuner, footrest, etc.) with the guitar. Gig bags often are included with the guitar. However, a hard shell case is recommended to protect the guitar during transport to and from school. Reputable local music stores are Melodee Music and Music & Arts in Sterling, Best Buy in Reston, and Guitar Center in Fairfax.
Herndon Guitar Welcomes Adam Phillips
Adam Phillips will be teaching the guitar ensembles at Herndon High School until the end of
the 2009-2010 school year while Mr. Cunningham takes paternity leave.
Mr. Phillips has just completed his third year of guitar and music education studies at George Mason University. He is a guitar student of Larry Snitzler and is experienced in classical, jazz, and fingerstyle guitar.
(At left: Mr. Phillips performed Heather's Song by Andrew McKee at the 2010 Spring Concert. Photo by Jeanne Loveland.)
Spring Concert Wraps Up Herndon Guitar's 2009-10 Performance Schedule
The Spring Guitar Concert, held on May 20, 2010, featured performances by all five guitar ensembles. Special guests included Adam Phillips, who will substitute for Mr. Cunningham through the end of the school year, as well as the Heatwave Show Choir accompanied by a student guitar ensemble. The 2010 Glen McCarthy Award was presented to Jack Radcliffe, and the Guitar Boosters officers received generous appreciation from Mr. Cunningham and the guitar students (above, left). The concert concluded with a vigorous performance of All Along the Watchtower.
Mason Weaver (above, right) held the winning raffle ticket for the Martin DXME Acoustic Electric
Guitar and Gig Bag (combined value of $900). Thanks go to Melodee Music in Sterling for supporting the raffle.
PHOTOS HERE! | MORE HERE!
Guitar 4 Performs at Mid-Atlantic Guitar Festival
Congratulations to the Guitar 4 Ensemble who performed at the 2010 Mid-Atlantic Guitar Festival on March 13 at West Potomac High School. Their performance was fantastic and very well received by the judges.
Zoe Johnstone of Johns Hopkins University told the ensemble that they "really get it," and exemplify musical excellence in performance. The highlight of the festival was attending the workshop and concert by master guitarist, Don Ross, and later realizing he was on the wings of the stage enjoying and filming Guitar 4's performance! How proud we were!!! It was a successful day for Herndon, and a great time was had by all.
Jack Radcliffe Receives 2010 Glen McCarthy Award
Special congratulations go to Jack Radcliffe, who is this year's recipient of the Glen McCarthy Guitar Award at Herndon HS. Jack has been a lead player in our top guitar ensemble for the past three years, a Governor's School candidate, and has performed in two of our school musicals. Bravo, Jack, for your years of service and excellence!
Guitar 3 and 4 Visit New York City
Visit our Picasa album for trip photos (courtesy Jeanne Loveland)
Many thanks and congratulations are due to our Guitar 3 and Guitar 4 Ensembles who performed at The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine in New York last Friday, March 19, 2010. It was a fantastic performance and an exciting experience to play in this cathedral, the largest of its kind in the world. Its size and beauty are beyond words.
We enjoyed a spectacular performance of Wicked and soaked in the history, culture, and cuisine of New York City. The guitarists represented Herndon well, and I am very proud of all of them!
Our trip included a tour of the C.F. Martin & Co. facility in Nazareth, Pennsylvania. Students visited the "Pickin' Parlor" where they had an opportunity to play some of Martin's high-end and Limited Edition models.
A special thank you to trip coordinators and head chaperones Jeanne Loveland and Anne Egan for the countless hours of planning and execution required for such an adventure. And thank you to our trip chaperones Myriam Kane, Kelli Radcliffe, Carole Rynearson, Bob Berlin, Mike Skinnell, and Beth Gilley. Our guitarists were in excellent hands and superbly cared for by our chaperones, and I am deeply thankful for their time, energy, and dedication to our guitar program and guitar students.
—Chris Cunningham
Herndon Guitar Winter Concert
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Wednesday, December 16, 20097:00 p.m. • HHS Auditorium
Guitar 2, 3, and 4 performed classical and contemporary music, as well as seasonal favorites. Check back soon for results of our raffles. Thank you to all who contributed to the SGA Adopt-a-Family. Happy Holidays!
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Herndon Guitar Night at Lucia's
Guitar students provided musical entertainment at the Herndon Guitar Night fundraiser at Lucia's Italian Ristorante (Towncenter Plaza, Sterling) on October 21, 2009. Lucia's donated 15% of the evening's proceeds to the Herndon Guitar Boosters.
Photo by Jeanne Loveland