Guitar Program
Hone your guitar skills
The Guitar Program has enriched the Moreno Valley music scene since 2013. As one of the few two-year colleges in the US offering a certificate in guitar performance, MVC guitar students receive a place and an opportunity to collaborate, study and learn together.
Where We've Played
How to Get Involved
This certificate program is open to all skill levels. Many of participating students played their very first notes on the guitar here at MVC. Additionally, Guitar Program graduates are regularly accepted into prestigious university guitar programs around the state.
Reach out to us if you or someone you know is interested in learning guitar.
About the Guitar Ensemble
Guitar Courses
The Music program currently offers 4 different courses related to guitar playing:
- MUS-37 - Class Guitar (beginning level instruction for those interested in learning the guitar)
- MUS-70 - Intermediate Guitar Ensemble
- MUS-P70 - Advanced Guitar Ensemble
- MUS-87 - Applied Music (private one on one guitar instruction)
Program Highlights
Meet Guitar Faculty
Moreno Valley College has faculty with advanced degrees in guitar performance from the University of Southern California, the University of Redlands, and the Julliard School of Music.
Barry McNaughton is the director of guitar and instrumental performance at Moreno Valley College. He received his Master's degree in Classical Guitar Performance from USC in 2002 which he attended on full scholarship while working as a teaching assistant for the Thornton School of Music. In addition to being a merit scholarship recipient, he has won several other prestigious awards. These include: a silver medal in the ASTA competition held annually in Los Angeles, the 2002 USC Classical Guitar Departmental Award, and the 2008 adjunct faculty of the year at Crafton Hills College. Additionally, he has performed live to radio on all of Los Angeles's premiere classical radios stations including: KUSC, KMOZART and KPFK.
In 2006, Barry was awarded the unique opportunity to play with and audition for the group which initially inspired him to take up and study the classical guitar, the world renowned "Los Angeles Guitar Quartet."
In addition to his busy teaching and performing schedule, Barry divides his time between composing and arranging for both chamber and Jazz ensembles. His published works are available for purchase online at dobermaneditions.com.
Sean Samimi completed his bachelor of music performance at the Cleveland Institute of Music where he was awarded the Rosalia Ablan Memorial Prize in Guitar two times and Thornton School of Music, University of Southern California where he obtained his masters in music for classical guitar performance, and courses in audio engineering and arts management. His mentors include Scott Tennant, William Kanengiser (GRAMMY® Award-winning members of the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet), Pepe Romero, John Holmquist, Jason Vieaux (Grammy Award winner), and Alireza Tafaghodi.
Samimi joined the Los Angeles office of the renowned artist agency Opus 3 Artists, LLC in 2009 and assisted its management with a large number of distinguished instrumental soloists and conductors—in the process building up a network of music industry professionals from around the world. He joined the Philharmonic Society of Orange County in 2013 as an artistic administrator and producer, overseeing operations and programming of instrumental soloists, chamber music ensembles, new compositions commissioning projects, and world class orchestras on tour. He simultaneously served as board member and artistic advisor of the Laguna Beach Music Festival (in partnership with Laguna Beach Live!), whereby he led the 2015 edition of festival’s programming and production to its first-ever sold-out performances in their 13-year history without a major sponsorship. Having earned the confidence and trust of many artists combined with a vast knowledge of ‘Artists and Repertoire’ that he has become known for, Samimi founded Aranjuez Artists, Inc. in 2015 to represent them nationally and internationally.
He frequently lectures on music business industry topics related to arts and non-profit management, artist management, careers in music, and developing entrepreneurial skills. He has lectured at the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music, 2016 Guitar Masters Festival and International Competition (Wrocław, Poland), 2018 Miami International GuitART Festival, Florida International University, California State University, Los Angeles, San Diego University’s School of Music, and twice at the Chapman University’s Hall-Musco Conservatory of Music.
His background in audio recording, A&R, and artist management has made him a favorite candidate among festivals and competitions to be invited for jury duty. Samimi teaches guitar as associate faculty at Moreno Valley College and is sponsored by RC Strings (Spain). His recent distinguished festivals and competitions invitations include IX International Guitar Course and Competition in Olsztyn (Poland), Guitar Masters International Competition in Wrocław (Poland), 2018 The JoAnn Falletta International Guitar Concerto Competition (Buffalo, NY), 2018 Gohar & Ovanes Andriassian Classical Guitar Competition and Festival, 2019 Central Valley Guitar Summit at Fresno City College (CA).
Courses: MUS-87 Applied Applied Guitar, MUS-19 Music History
Taro Wayama is a Japanese born guitarist/composer. He is a winner of numerous competitions such as 1st place in the 2003 Aron Green/American String Teachers Association Guitar Competition and 2nd place in the Thailand International Guitar Competition. As a composer he received "Best Original Score" at the Los Angeles Movie Awards for an independent film, Anne Jennings.
Taro is an active soloist and a chamber musician. He has performed in Japan, Thailand, Canada, Mexico, Belgium, China and the US. He frequently collaborates with violin, clarinet, flute and voice performing music from Renaissance through 20th/21st Century and Folk/World music. He also collaborates with visual artists to create installations which embody both visual and audio experience. Recently he was commissioned to compose a piece for Yutaka Sone's new installation, Sky Next Door.
Taro holds Masters and Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Southern California, where he studied with Pepe Romero, William Kannengiser, James Smith, Brian Head and Scott Tennant.
He has performed in number masterclasses by great guitarists such as Pepe Romero, David Leisner, Scott Tennant, Benjamin Verdery, Dusan Bogdanvic, Fabio Zanon, and William Kanengiser.
