Sophomore Christopher Bavaro sent a jolt of electricity through Huntington High School’s recent spring concert when he accompanied the choir with his acoustic-electric guitar.
“I’ve been playing guitar since the third grade,” Mr. Bavaro said. “There was a big learning curve and it was really challenging in the beginning because I didn’t see immediate progress, but eventually it clicked for me and I’ve been in love with playing ever since. I got to the level I’m at currently by playing for at least three hours every day and having sessions with my guitar teacher, Adam King every week for the past seven years.”
Huntington High School sophomore Christopher Bavaro.
The teenager own three acoustic and four electric guitars. “Some of them I play more than others,” he said. “My favorite acoustic to play is my Guild acoustic-electric, which I played at the concert last week. My favorite electric guitar is a completely customized Stratocaster body that my uncle left me after he passed away.”
Mr. Bavaro said he almost exclusively focuses on the guitar, but sometimes he picks up a ukulele to play around with.
“I play the guitar every day for at least three hours,” the sophomore said. “I love classic rock and acoustic stuff. My favorite artists are Dave Mathews, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, the Beatles and Jason Mraz.
Mr. Bavaro said he’s “passable” at singing, adding that “I can hold a tune and make it sound nice.”
The teenager said school is going well. “I am a B+ student and I’m in Honors English and Advanced Placement World History,” Mr. Bavaro said. “There’s room for improvement, but overall, things are good.”
Mr. Bavaro plays football in the fall with the Huntington High School team, “which is intense, but a lot of fun,” he said. He’s also deeply involved with the video arts program. He participated in this year’s 10 Day Film Challenge and his production team placed ninth in the entire state with its film, The Hunt.
A student in Huntington UFSD since kindergarten, Mr. Bavaro attended Jefferson Primary School. “I want to pursue a career in film,” he said. “I want to provide an escape for people from their real lives and bring them joy, like my inspirations have done for me.”
As his sophomore year draws to a close, Mr. Bavaro is confident that two outstanding years are still to come. “Huntington has always looked out for me and has provided me with an amazing working environment for me to thrive as a student,” he said. “I’ve had many great teachers through the years, but the one who had the biggest impact on me was Ms. [Nicole] Parrett. She was the one who encouraged me to stick with music and showed me how amazing of a creative outlet it could be.”