Tonight I finished a mini-residency at West Elementary here in Athens Ohio. I taught two third-grade and two fourth-grade classes helping the students to understand the common 12-bar blues form and how it has influenced rock, country and jazz styles. I then coached each class in writing their own original lyrics which would become a class song with a central theme. As we rehearsed for this evening’s performance they also learned about concepts like stop-time and tag endings. The kids did a great job and it was a pleasure to work with them. Their lyrics are below…
Photos courtesy of Cindy Jewell.
Above: NGW students Zack, Bruce, Pete, and Philippe pose with Buddy Guy!
National Guitar Workshop’s Chicago campus was another fantastic experience. At this campus I taught a blues core class which means that I have now taught every core class that NGW offers: rock, blues, jazz, and acoustic. This was also the first time that I had a class comprised entirely of of adult students. The guys in the class were all of similar abilities and interests and they bonded quickly and were a fun and easy group to work with.
Continue reading 'Reflections on National Guitar Workshop Chicago 2009'
Above: NGW students Mike, Russ, and Duncan ham it up for the camera!
Participating in National Guitar Workshop continues to be one of the most renewing and exhausting (only because I never get enough sleep!) experiences I have each year. This year I was lucky enough to wrangle a teaching gig at the McLean, VA campus which is the closest NGW campus to home. I had a really great time teaching, hanging out, and taking in some great music.
Continue reading 'Reflections on National Guitar Workshop VA 2009'
