The Connection

Take some talented guitarists, add other musicians and singers and stir well, and the result is a Centreville High tradition: The school’s annual Gumbo Concert. And this one is extra-special because it’s the 30th.

Under the guidance of guitar teacher and Performing Arts Department Chair Bill Burke — himself a noted guitarist and Centreville’s director of guitar studies — the show is set for Friday, Jan. 27, at 7 p.m., in the school theater. Tickets are $5, students; and $10, families, at the door.

“I’m really proud of the way the kids step up to the plate for this show,” said Burke. “Sometimes they come into an audition pretty raw; but when they step onto the stage and get that audience feedback they rise to another level.”

He puts on two Gumbo shows a year — one in winter and one in spring. “I wanted to have a concert inclusive to everyone in the school, even if they weren’t a guitar student,” he said. “Students could come and audition and play whatever instrument they wanted. Or they could sing or even do comedy.”

And since gumbo is made with a mixture of ingredients, that name also describes this show that offers a variety of acts and types of music. After coming up with the name, said Burke, “I decided how cool it would be to serve gumbo afterward to the performers and their families. So we do it in the hallway backstage; my wife Naila makes it and I’m her sous chef. Then we bring it to school and heat it up in crock pots.”

This year’s Gumbo Concert features about 20 acts and will have both professional sound and lighting. “So it’s like going to a professional concert without leaving Centreville,” said Burke. “It’s difficult to produce because each act goes back to back, with different sound requirements, and no lulls in the show’s pace. So while one act is performing on one side of the stage, another one is setting up in the darkness on the other side of the stage.”

Most involve some sort of guitar and piano performance, plus singing. And the winter Gumbo generally showcases students doing solos or entertaining in small groups. And, said Burke, “The most gratifying part is that the audience is always very attentive to the performers, who get good feedback from the applause.”

Francis Swinson is emceeing, and those taking the stage will include ESOL student Ricardo Avalos. He’ll sing “Hasta mi Final” (Until the Day) in Spanish, accompanied by senior Olivia Yslas on guitar and junior Daniel Levin on piano.

“Ricardo has only been in the country a year, but he auditioned and has a beautiful singing voice,” said Burke. “So I hooked him up with Olivia and Daniel. They didn’t know Ricardo beforehand, but volunteered to learn his song and perform with him.”

Students Saptarshi Biswas and Iman Sanie, a guitar/vocal duo, will make their Gumbo debut. Sanie is in Burke’s guitar class and will perform “Chains” by Nick Jonas with Biswas. And Maddy Lee and Sophie Lee, billing themselves the Little Duo, will be performing Paramore’s tune, “Let the Flames Begin.”

The Led Zeppelin song, “Dazed and Confused,” will be done by power trio the Geddysburg Address, featuring senior Noah Dail (nicknamed Geddy). Dail, who recently performed in Cuba with a community jazz band, will also accompany Victoria Magory on Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love.”

“Noah is a phenomenal guitarist/singer,” said Burke. “And he’s been in my guitar program all four years.”

Another special performer will be sophomore violinist Michelle Li, who recently won the Music Teachers National Association concerto competition for the Commonwealth of Virginia. She’ll compete next for the Southeastern Region of the U.S title.

The Multi-muses, comprised of Cindy Tran, Kavya Iyappan and Sophie Lee, will entertain the crowd with a mash-up of Beyonce’s “Halo” and Passion Pit’s “Carried Away.” And a new, heavy-metal drum/guitar duo called Wings of the Fallen, featuring Aidan Reeves and Nicolas Bettger, will offer a song by Avenged Sevenfold.

In addition, Ian Kelly, Sarah Naimy, Olivia Yslas, Maddy Lee, Denny Jeong and Thomas Cummings have united to create a group called “Whitney Houston, We Have a Problem.” Together, they’ll sing “Golden Days” by Houston.

“This group is an example of the spirit of Gumbo,” said Burke. “Ian, Sarah and Olivia are upper-level, guitar-program students, Denny and Thomas are members of Centreville’s band program, and Maddy is a member of the choir program.”

An accomplished musician, Burke has released four CDs; and on the most recent two, “December Skies” and “Shelter No. 3,” he plays all the instruments. His author wife, who wrote a book, “Under the Magnolia Tree,” is also an artist and created the cover art for his CDs.

So besides the show’s student acts featuring an array of musical styles and genres, Burke will also perform an original song he wrote, “You Are My Country,” accompanied by percussionists Jose Oquendo and Ron Goad, a former Centreville High English teacher.

“And because it’s my 30th Gumbo Concert, I’m also going to have some guest performers, Helton Pereria and Jacob Walker,” said Burke. “They both went through my guitar program, performed on the Gumbo stage and graduated from Centreville in 2005. Helton is now a firefighter in Northern Virginia and Jacob is the guitar director at Falls Church High.”

Gumbo is also a real family affair. Since there’s no Wildcat Guitar Booster organization, each act provides a parent to help with the tickets, door, concessions, security, stage set-up, break down and cleanup.

Burke started Centreville’s guitar program in the 1999-2000 school year, working part time and teaching 50 students. He became full-time the next year and now teaches four guitar classes to more than 100 students.

Pleased with the program’s growth, he said his greatest satisfaction is “When I’ve really taught a good lesson and the students run with it. I give them the opportunity to experiment creatively. And from time to time, I’ve also tried to instill in them some kind of civic responsibility. One year, we donated our show profits for a guitar student at another school who died, and we did a Thanksgiving food drive for families in need.”

After the earthquake in Nepal, the Gumbo show profits were donated to help the victims. And at the next concert, a Nepalese choir student gave Burke an award for doing that. “Teachers give a lot and don’t often get positive feedback,” he said. “But every so often, you get a shining moment that validates what you do. And it’s a reminder that what you do can make a difference in people’s lives.”

Looking forward to the upcoming show, Burke said, “Throughout my tenure at Centreville, the administration has been supportive of my guitar program and performing arts, in general. A Gumbo icon is even painted on a wall in the school. You say, ‘Gumbo,’ and everyone here knows what you’re talking about.”

Calling the event “an opportunity to hear young, raw talent in a professional concert atmosphere,” he said, “You come to the concert, you’re going to hear some good music that’ll surprise you.”