When the annual Mississippi Guitar Festival got under way at Belhaven College, a Meridian Community College student and instructor took to the stage with guest artist virtuoso Ivan Rijos of Puerto Rico.

Each year, competitions, lectures, master classes and concerts are offered for the enrichment of enthusiasts, professionals and students of the classical guitar at this festival, the state’s only collegiate conference on the art of classical guitar. Additionally, an internationally acclaimed guest artist is invited to attend; Rijos served as this year’s guest artist.

MCC freshman music major Evan Avery was selected to perform in a master class with Rijos, said Avery’s instructor, Mitch Brantley, who teaches guitar at MCC. Avery also competed in the beginners’ competition of the festival.

“Avery has only studied classical guitar for about two and a half months. For him to be able to compete in a classical guitar competition and perform in a master class in such as short amount of time is remarkable. Avery has had previous guitar lessons, but this is his first semester to take classical guitar at MCC,” Brantley said.

Brantley kicked off the Faculty Guitar Concert by performing three sonatas by 19th century virtuoso and composer Niccolo Paganini. Brantley, along with a few other faculty members and competitors, was invited to perform with guest artist Rijos in his guest artist concert.

“Maestro Ivan Rijos improvised while each performer played a piece. To hear someone that can improvise in so many different styles from the blues to the counterpoint of J. S. Bach was phenomenal.

“It was a great honor to perform with an artist of that caliber,” Brantley added.

In addition, there was a special connection.  It was a really special reunion because I had the great opportunity to perform for Rijos in a master class 22 years ago when I was a student at Hinds Community College,” Brantley said. “I had no idea I would get to perform with him in his concert.”

Brantley served as one of the adjudicators for the under 14, high school and intermediate competitions.

Competitors at this year’s festival came from as far as California and the first place winner of the advanced competition was in college in Columbus, Ga., and originally from Bejing, China.

MCC along with Belhaven University, Hinds Community College, Jones County Junior College, Pearl River Community College, The University of Southern Mississippi and William Carey University sponsored the two-day guitar festival.