Last week, all participating UIL Solo and Ensemble guitarists received superior ratings in their respective competitions, certifying 6 soloists and 4 ensembles to move on to the next state-level competition. This striking performance, while widely recognized by the district and its student body, holds more sentiment to the program’s director, Joseph Davila, and his students, whose clear commitment to learning music was the pinnacle of their success.

“We took 43 students and there were 55 medals brought home,” he said. “What led up to this accomplishment was just the hard work of the students and their dedication to learning the instrument.”

Devotion is undoubtedly the most essential component of the group’s triumph, seeing as Solo and Ensemble presents several limitations and requirements to students who want to perfect pieces that apply to superior standards.

“If they want to be eligible for state competition, which happens in May or at the end of the school year, they have to play a class-one piece which is the hardest.” Davila said.” They have to have it memorized and they have to get the top rate as well.”

However, class-one pieces were not required or forced on students who wanted to compete at an easier, more fitting level. After all, the guitar program aims to encourage students’ strengths and aspirations rather than to enforce expectations.

“My main goal is to create musicians and kids that have an appreciation for music like I do,” Davila said. “I share with them every one of my experiences and where it could take them.”

That being said, to these students, passion for music represents more than medals or superior ratings. As state-advancing senior Joshua Sembrano recollects, guitar provides a sense of nostalgia and personal satisfaction stemming from accomplishment, accompanied by a tribute to his family.

“My dad inspired me to try out and play guitar,” he said. “Ever since he showed me, I fell in love with it. I didn’t want to prove to anyone else that I can make it to state and do well. I just wanted to know that I, myself, am a good guitarist and I’m good enough to make it at that level.”

As the school year comes to an end and the guitar program fine-tunes its skill, it’s set in stone that its students will continue to hold sentiment and deep admiration for their craft long after graduation and into their futures.

“Some goals I have moving forward as a guitarist is just to be the best I can possibly be for myself,” Sembrano said. “I have a passion and love for guitar playing.”