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CAMP WOODSHED

CAMP WOODSHED –  JULY 9-13 2018

Have the best week of your summer jamming at Guitar Shed! CALL 404-500-5375 TODAY or email [email protected] to reserve your spot…or sign up in the parent portal!

What to expect: Our camp is 15 hours of musical instruction that feels more like having fun with friends than it does practice. Throughout the week, the students will learn arrangements of fun, popular songs while working on technique, music fundamentals, and playing cohesively with other musicians. At the end of the week, the students will feel more confident about their playing and have memories to last a lifetime.

Who can sign up? Students with at least one year of playing experience ages 11-15

Camp Capacity: 15 students

Tuition: Tuition of $250 for existing students is required to reserve your spot. Tuition is $275 for new students. If your plans change, we can refund 50% of your paid tuition if you let us know BEFORE the scheduled camp begins.

When and where is the camp:

July 9-13 2018 — Monday-Friday 9:30am-12:30pm at Guitar Shed— 1610 Hosea L Williams Dr NE, Atlanta, GA 30317

Why Woodshed? 

“Woodshedding” is slang for practicing your musical instrument….and “Shedding” is short for “woodshedding”…that’s how we came up with the name Guitar Shed!

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iGen + Music = Happiness

After listening to a segment on NPR about generation “iGen” I couldn’t help but think about the role music plays in mental health. iGen refers to children born in the mid 1990’s or later and is the first generation to spend their entire adolescence in the age of the smartphone. Most of our young students at Guitar Shed fall into this age range and are doing great things to not succumb to the pitfalls of their generation. They are playing music!

You know what is great about music lessons? During a lesson we are playing music, and if we do use our phones (which is very rare) it is for a tuner or a metronome…not Snapchat or Instagram. Students and teachers are developing a relationship in the real world without distractions.

Music lessons also get people out of the house! There is a reason we don’t do in-home lessons or online lessons at Guitar Shed. Community. We see all of our students and families every week and watch them grow with each performance. We know about their struggles and victories, encouraging them every step of the way.

Studies show that teenagers in iGen are much physically safer, but on the brink of a mental health crisis. Some of the negative impacts that have been linked to too much screen time are loneliness, depression, isolation, sleep deprivation, increased suicide attempts, lack of focus… the list goes on.

An article about iGen in the Atlantic gives the following advice…. “Put down the phone, turn off the laptop, and do something—anything—that does not involve a screen.” Although iGen is the target of this discussion, we adults are not immune either. There are countless benefits to playing and learning an instrument, but now we all need music more than ever.

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Guitar Ensemble is Back! September 13 – December 13

We are excited to announce the return of Guitar Ensemble in the fall of 2017! Students ages 9-14 are encouraged to enroll. During the classes we will focus on ensemble playing, rhythm, dynamics, good tone, and creativity. This is a great way to augment private lessons and give your children the opportunity to make music with their peers. The classes will culminate in a final performance at our recital on December 17.

All sheet music will be provided. There will be no make-up classes, but we are happy to adjust invoices prior to payment if you will be absent. In order to perform in the summer recital, students must attend at least 10 of the 14 classes. The Guitar Ensemble is directed by Alex Gordon and limited to 8 students.

September 13 – December 13 (No class October 18)

Wednesdays from 7:00-7:50 pm

Tuition is $25 per class. To register, either signup in our online portal or send us an email. Tuition will be pro-rated and added to your monthly invoice.

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Fall Calendar 2017 – Important Dates

  • December 17
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Songwriting 101 – Sunday, May 21

Want to write songs but don’t know where to start? Anyone with a basic knowledge of music can write a song! Learn how to put together a chord progression, a melody, and lyrics to create a lasting piece of art to call your own. We will discuss common song forms, study some techniques of the great songwriters throughout history, and every student will leave the workshop with their own original song!

Brandon has been writing songs for 10+ years, both as a solo artist and with various bands over the years. He has approached songwriting from both a self-taught perspective and under the systems of the classical tradition. We will learn some of the basic “rules” for songwriting, and in true rock ‘n’ roll fashion, learn how to break them.

$30 for Current Students
$40 for Non Students

Sign up in our online portal at www.guitarshed.wpengine.com or email [email protected]

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Guitar Ensemble is Back!

We are excited to announce the return of Guitar Ensemble! Begins Sunday, March 5. Register in our student portal or email [email protected]

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Cayamo

In a few weeks I will be embarking on my first Cayamo cruise. Cayamo is one of many music festivals at sea organized by Atlanta based production company Sixthman. Sixthman has been creating music festivals at sea since 2001 and I first attended one of their cruises playing guitar for Eric Dodd in 2010 on Zac Brown’s Sailing Southern Ground Cruise.

Since first hearing about Sixthman, I have always had my eye on Cayamo. Each one of their cruises has a different theme and Cayamo has been dubbed the “singer-songwriter” cruise. This year’s lineup includes Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle, Buddy Miller, Shawn Mullins, Jim Lauderdale, North Mississippi Allstars and more. Previous lineups have included Lyle Lovett, John Prine, John Hiatt, Jason Isbell, Bruce Hornsby and The Wood Brothers. No shortage of talent on this boat!

I am honored to be offering three guitar workshops throughout the week….

  1. Strumming & Finger Picking Patterns (Beginner)
  2. Alternative Songwriting Techniques (Intermediate)
  3. Exploring the Fretboard – Lead Guitar and Songwriting (Intermediate/Advanced)

I will be out of town from February 19-26 but our new office manager, Rebecca will be taking good care of the Shed. Keep an eye out for some of these workshops coming to the Shed soon and stay tuned!

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Adult Band – Starting November 1st

Rehearsals for our first adult band will begin on Tuesday, November 1st. Brandon Marsolo will be playing drums and coaching the ensemble. The group will focus on rock and blues techniques. Brandon has plenty of experience in leading rehearsals and will be able to provide expert instruction on individual and group performance. This is something I think that has been missing at the Shed and there is a lot to be learned from playing in a group setting. 

You are welcome to use our equipment at the Shed or bring your own. The cost will be $30 per 90 min rehearsal from 8:00-9:30. The rehearsals will culminate in a final performance at our recital on December 18. Tuition will be pro-rated and added to your monthly invoice. There will be no make-up classes, but we are happy to adjust invoices prior to payment if you will be absent. You can sign up online through our student portal or email us directly if you are interested. Limited to 6 students.

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Now Offering Violin!

IzaakWaltonphoto

We are excited to announce the addition of our newest teacher, Izaak Walton. Izaak is a very talented classical violinist from a musical family and born and raised right here in our neighborhood. Read below for more about Isaak and let us know if you are interested in signing up for violin lessons! Lessons are available on Wednesday afternoons starting August 10.

Izaak Walton (violin)

Raised in Atlanta in a musical household, Izaak began playing at a young age under his parents’ instruction. He studied in the studios of Levon Ambartsumian, Shakhida Azimkodjaeva, and Dr. Michael Heald at the University of Georgia, and more recently Raymond Leung of the Atlanta Symphony. Izaak graduated in 2015 from the University of Georgia with a degree in Violin Performance and a minor in English….read more

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