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By Tyler Davidson
By Tyler Davidson
One of Riverside City College’s hallmarks has always been its sense of diversity, whether ethnic or otherwise.
Where America has been thought of as a cultural melting pot, RCC can be seen as a sort of microcosm of that same pot, with several differing interests, cultures and hobbies represented.
This diversity manifests itself in the form of the college’s various clubs and organizations including MUSE, the college’s literary magazine, the Queer Alliance, a group dedicated to increasing tolerance for different sexualities, and the Guitar Ensemble, which affords intermediate to advanced guitarists the opportunity to not only interact with one another, but also to show off their skills to students and non-students alike.
Each of RCC’s clubs, in order to entertain as well as further their cause, hold on-campus events and the Guitar Ensemble is no different. Near the end of the semester, in December, the Ensemble will perform on campus for anyone that wishes to attend.
According to member Brendan Moore, the performances will allow the audience to “gain appreciation for other styles of music that they may not normally listen to…styles like classical guitar, funk and jazz.”
The classical guitar style that Moore speaks of happens to be the forte of Argentinean-born musician Ernesto Bitetti, who will perform at RCC’c Digital Library Auditorium on Oct. 23 at 7 p.m.
Bitetti is a professor at the University of Indiana, alma mater of Guitar Ensemble advisor Peter Curtis.
Curtis notes that “there are great educational benefits to hearing great guitarists perform live,” a sentiment shared by Moore with great enthusiasm.
Moore, who has taken several karate classes at the college, also spoke highly of RCC’s renowned Karate Club.
The Karate Club is known for its impressive and vivid demonstrations. The most recent demonstration, which took place on Sept. 20, lasted one hour, and showcased practitioners of “Genbukai” karate, from the beginning up to the more advanced levels.
The beginners started out with the basics such as blocks, punches and kicks whereas the more advanced students practiced “kata,” or series’ of all three.
Some members even demonstrated weapon fighting, including that of the katana, a type of Japanese sword.
Also included was the traditional board-breaking seen in other karate demos where a student breaks a piece of plywood in two using various strikes. It was an awsome display despite the poor girl who’s board refused to yeild to her blows.
Moore believes that witnessing the demonstration firsthand will do much in the way of opening up students’ minds to what karate is all about.
“[Seeing the demonstration] gives a better understanding about karate,” Moore said. “It’s not just about beating people up but, rather, a way of life. You learn about self-discipline. You improve your mental strength as well as your physical strength. It has a deeper meaning than most people give it credit for.”
These club events and demonstrations do as much to entertain as they do to promote the clubs’ specific causes, and they always reinforce RCC’s image as a college with a rich, diverse atmosphere.
