“It takes a village to raise a guitar summit,” said Kevin Cooper, music instructor and director of summit, as Fresno City College was filled with the elegant sound of guitars on March 30.

Local high school and middle school students participated in an all day summit, which consisted of a guitar exhibition from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., followed by a quick reception at 6 p.m. and a concert featuring the performers of the AguaClara Flamenco Company.

The guitar exhibition consisted of guitar enthusiasts from different schools who played in a variety of different performances using only the guitar. There were ensemble as well as solo players, all showcasing their talents on the guitar.

“It is breathtaking to see all this talent and hard work being put to use by these students,” Cooper said. “It is refreshing to see the look on their faces when they do something and get the sense of satisfaction from accomplishing it.”

After the pre-concert reception, the AguaClara Flamenco Company took the stage, where David McLean’s guitar work met the wonders of Flamenco dancing from Clara Rodriguez and Timo Nunez.

Both the guitar work and the Flamenco style dancing worked harmoniously in a performance that was sensational. McLean’s methodical guitar playing complemented the passionate visuals of the Flamenco dancers, as they waved and twisted around on stage, and tapped their feet faster than the audience could applaud.

Their intense performance was followed by an awards ceremony for the exhibition. Students won awards and prizes for certain categories of the summit, such as solo performances, ensembles, small group and more.

One of these winners was Ben Johnson, winner of the Young Educator award, as well as being part of the Outstanding Ensemble award with Jouanaque High School.

“We were surprised, but really happy to see that the judges thought that we deserved to win an award for the showcase,” Johnson said.

The guitar program at FCC will host the Six-String Showcase on May 4.