Music

Courses: MUS-70 Guitar Ensemble, MUS-4 to 6 Music Theory I, II and III, MUS-101 Music Technology, MUS-23 Rock History, MUS-87 Applied 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.

Back to Top

Courses: MUS-3 Fundamentals of Music, MUS-19 Music Appreciation, MUS-29 Concert Choir, MUS-38 and 78 Beginning Applied Music I and II, MUS-83 Advanced Chamber Choir, MUS-87/P87 Applied Music Training I and II

Dr. Michael de Vries joined MVC in the fall of 2023 as Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Choral and Vocal Activities. He spent the previous 12 years as a high school choral director, with the last 11 years in the Corona Norco School District. He has also taught various courses in choral performance and choral music education at California Baptist University as an adjunct professor. In 2023, Dr. de Vries graduated with his Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Southern California where he received the Music Teaching and Learning departmental award for outstanding graduate. At MVC, he teaches various music classes in choral and vocal performance as well as core music curriculum. Please contact Dr. de Vries if you are interested in becoming involved with the MVC music program.

Back to Top

Courses: MUS-3 Music Fundamentals, MUS-19 Music Appreciation, MUS-26 Film Music Appreciation

Puerto Rican pianist Alma Batista combines unique Hispanic and traditional classical repertoires in her recitals. Batista performs solo piano recitals, chamber music recitals, and lecture recitals in California and Puerto Rico.

In addition to performing and teaching, Batista enjoys composing works for solo piano and collaborative music. Her Puerto Rican piano Danza compositions have received awards from the Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña and the Círculo de Recreo de San Germán in Puerto Rico. Most recently, in 2022, her Danza El Revolú was awarded first prize in the Traditional Danza Division by both organizations. Her Danza Romanza (2013 Contemporary Division First Prize, I.C.P.) was published in the book of winning Danzas published by the Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, Danzas Puertorriqueñas Ganadoras del Concurso de Composición del I.C.P. (2010-2015).

Alma Batista began her musical studies in Puerto Rico with Alba Rosa Castro. She continued her studies at the Conservatorio de Música de Puerto Rico, where she studied with doña Cecilia Talavera. Batista earned her bachelor's and master's degrees from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. At the SFCM, she studied with Paul Hersh and Mack McCray. She earned her Doctor of Music Arts degree from the University of California in Santa Barbara, where she studied with Paul Berkowitz and Dr. Betty Oberacker.

Back to Top

Courses: MUS-32 A-D Class Piano, MUS-29 Choir

For over 40 years, Dr. Wayne Hinton has pursued an active career in arts administration, in addition to working as a vocal coach and recital pianist in chamber music, opera, and song repertoire. After finishing his undergraduate studies in piano with honors at Florida State University, he was awarded a scholarship to study at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Vienna. He was also a scholarship student at the Institute of Advanced Musical Studies in Montreux, Switzerland. In this innovative school he performed in Master Classes of such great artists as Gregor Piatigorsky, Zino Francescatti, composer Alberto Ginastera, and pianists Ania Dorfmann and John Ogdon.

In 1997, Hinton finished his Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Collaborative Piano at USC under the direction of Dr. Alan Smith. After finishing his degree, Dr. Hinton worked as a music editor for film and television and was assistant music director of Orange County Opera and Golden West Opera. Dr. Hinton has been the Executive Director of the Los Angeles Jewish Symphony and the General Manager of the Nimoy Concert Series of Temple Israel of Hollywood and Executive Director of the Riverside County Philharmonic. He is currently the Music Director at the United Methodist Church of Palm Springs and is an adjunct professor of Piano and Vocal Coach at the Moreno Valley College.

Back to Top

Courses: MUS-30 Class Voice, MUS-19 Music History

Spinto soprano, Georgia McQuade received her Bachelor of Music with an emphasis in performance from San Jose State University in 2007. In 2009, Mrs. McQuade received her Master in Music from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. While there she performed the roles of Dorabella in Cosi fan tutte, Mrs. Anderson in A Little Night Music, and Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana. After graduating, Mrs. McQuade moved to New York where studied performed in the chorus of La Traviata with the Amore Opera Company, and in the chorus of Falstaff with the Martina Arroyo's Prelude to Performance Program. Currently she lives in Southern California where she teaches voice privately, lectures at Moreno Valley College and performs regularly in choirs and recitals.

Back to Top

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).

Back to Top

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.

Back to Top

Courses: MUS-19 Music History

Al Yankee organized his first rock band in McMinnville, Oregon at age 14. In his 20s he toured for three years with the Stan Kenton Orchestra, followed by a year traveling with Harry Blackstone's Magic Show. Yankee then spent sixteen years with the US Air Force as a staff composer, director of the "Jazz West" big band, and as NCOIC of the March AFB Annual Open House. Memorable musical performances from that time include the 50th anniversary of Mt. Rushmore with President George H W Bush, the opening and dedication of Ronald Reagan’s Presidential Library, and the state funeral of President Richard M. Nixon. His "Stealth Fanfare," composed for the roll-out of the B2 bomber, garnered the attention of the international press when it was broadcast worldwide on CNN.

Since leaving the Air Force, Al's entertainment production company, Legacy Artists, has kept him busy, conducting productions of The Who's rock opera Tommy, and the musical Man of La Mancha. Al has worked with such diverse acts as Barry Manilow, Ray Charles, Roger Daltrey, Harry Connick, Jr., Johnny Mathis, Peter Cetera, the O’Jays, Jackie Evancho, and Bernadette Peters.

He was honored with a room being named after him and decorated with his picture and life story at the Hotel Oregon in McMinnville. Al composed and performed incidental music to accompany "The Beat's Trip" a play based on the life of Allen Ginsberg, produced by Yale Cabaret Hollywood. His music has also been commissioned by the Oregon Shakespearean Festival, Interlochen Arts Academy, the Count Basie Orchestra, the Monterey Jazz Festival, and published by Warner Brothers. He has created several jazz recordings, as well as four albums featuring his original inspirational music. Al has produced the New Thought Music Festival concerts, as well as the Science and Spirituality lecture series in Riverside.

Al holds a bachelor's degree in music from the University of California, Riverside and a master's degree in music composition from the University of Redlands, where he worked closely with avant-garde composer Barney Childs. Al teaches music courses in history, theory, and business, and is a life member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.

Back to Top