The Art a la Carte concert series on Friday, May 9th will feature the South Middle School Guitar Ensemble. The
half-hour performances begin at 12:20 p.m. each Friday and are held at Campbell Plaza in the 100 block of South Santa Fe.

The South Middle School Guitar Ensemble consists of 50
seventh and eighth-grade students who play guitar as part of their school day. The ensemble incorporates acoustic, bass, and electric guitars, along with vocals, to perform a wide range of music.

The ensemble will perform an eclectic mix that includes styles such as ‘50’s surf rock (The Chantays), blues (James Taylor), classic rock (Rolling Stones, Booker T. and the MG’s, The Band), reggae (Bob Marley), alternative (Weezer, Coldplay, Oasis), country (Darius Rucker), and
current pop hits (John Legend, AgesandAges, Gnarls Barkley).

The ensemble is directed by Matt Gerry, who introduced guitars into the general music program at South Middle School in 2001. The ensemble gained national attention in 2010 when it won a contest held by the alternative rock group Weezer, which provided the ensemble with new musical equipment and allowed the student members to meet
Weezer via a Skype webcast.

In inclement weather, Art a la Carte performances are held at the Stiefel Theatre for the Performing Arts, 151 S. Santa Fe.