The summer session of Rock For Strings kicks off this week. Here’s some pics from our most recent performance at the Marine Corps Historic Half Marathon; https://blog.ladybassmusic.net/?p=616
We are looking for acoustic and electric string players, violinists, violists, cellists, and double bassists of all ages and skill levels. We will be performing rock, pop, and contemporary classical pieces in an orchestral setting, using both electric and string instruments.
The Summer 2017 session begins on Wednesday, June 14, 7:00 p.m. at Forte Music Studios. We meet for an hour weekly on Wednesday nights. Here is how this group is different than a school or community orchestra: We have opportunities to improvise on some songs. If you don’t yet know how to improvise, we will teach you if you are willing to learn. We teach the basics of live sound, amplification, playing an electric instrument, using effects and mics. Past song choices have included music from Hendrix, Queen, Muse, Zeppelin, Guns ‘n Roses, Journey, Ozzy Osbourne, The Cranberries, and more.
The class is proudly sponsored by our friends at NSDesign and Warwick Amplification. (See more about our sponsors at their websites: www.nedsteinberger.com and www.warwickbass.com.) We play a variety of shows. We’ve played various house concerts, venues, flash mobs, churches, and we’ve been filmed for a TV show and a documentary.
The cost is $100 for the summer semester, payable by check, cash or credit card. Enrollment is open through June 28. For more information or to enroll, you may contact me at lady.bass.music@gmail.com, or by phone at 540-604-7266.
Also…the Bass Coalition Summer Workshop is happening next weekend at Shenandoah University. This event is for upright players, and I highly encourage my upright bassists to check it out; head to http://basscoalition.com/ Dr. Stokes runs a great two-day intensive program out there for upright players.
RSMC is coming up. It’s past the enrollment deadline for this camp, but if you still want to get in, contact Amy Shirk ASAP and she can probably make it happen. This is a week-long day camp for young musicians. More info online here; http://www.rsmusiccamp.com/ Hopefully I’ll see you at the camp this year.
As you are seeing, there are a lot of summer music-related events like RSMC and the Bass Coalition Workshop. And, for me, it’s been heartening to see students wanting to be ready for Fall 2017 by enrolling for summer lessons, taking group classes over the summer, verbally telling me they are keeping their spot for summer 2017, and some are increasing their lesson times. I see folks enrolling in Rock For Strings saying they want to continue their growth over the summer. I see people increasing their lesson time so they are ready for auditions in the fall for NCVRO or college auditions. Summer is the perfect time to improve your game. #growthmindsetforthewin
Speaking of improving and practice…I want to show you this great practice log my friend Adam Nitti designed. Here’s a video where he discusses his feelings on why using a practice log is a great idea. The log is available as a download in the description after the video. Some of you have already received this log during your private lessons this past week.
Both parents of students AND music students should check out this video to get the full benefit of implementing a practice log. Now, obviously, Adam has tailored this log to a bass player’s needs. But even if you can’t use all the categories on it, this will hopefully get you thinking about areas you are neglecting in your growth. You can also take it and make it your own. For example, maybe you aren’t at the point where you are working on improvisation, but you are planning on auditioning for Junior Regional Orchestra in the fall. Change “improvisation” in the log header to “Audition materials”.
Check out the video here;
We track our fitness results in apps like “Spark People’ and the like. It’s proven that tracking your results helps you get in shape faster. The same concept applies to practicing and improving your musicianship; track your results, use a practice log. 🙂