Kids' Jam Winter 2011 Success!

Hi. We had a great time at the Jam , Saturday. There were almost 50 students and 100 guests! It was a great place to have it, The Underground , in Naperville. Kids from 5 to 17 played. Everyone did a great job. I had three people making vid's so hopefully I'll have some good shots. As soon as I get something I'll post it.

After another successful Kids' Jam I think some thank you's are in order for all the help I had.

First I want to thank Wendy Daly for suggesting The Underground at Alleluia Lutheran, it was a nice place to play music. She also did a lot to setup/takedown chairs and to get the show started.

I want to thank Craig Johnson, Katie Khoury and Scott Dahl for taking video during the performance. This way I don't have to run around looking for snippets of video and trying to put it all together.

I want to thank Missy Wichhart and her daughter for keeping track of the smoothie coupons. I anticipated 55 students running around and she did a great job getting liquids into their empty stomachs.

I want to thank the parents of the performers that made sure their students were able to practice. And to the students for diligently practicing in-between homework.

I want to thank the parents who brought their kids just to watch and had to stay an hour longer than I said. 

I want to thank Morgan and Hannah for working so hard to sing songs they didn't know. They did that to make some of the bands more complete. Well done, ladies.

I want to thank my student and associate teacher Joe Pillatsch for running around with a tuner so kids didn't sound too avant-guard. 

I want to thank Alissa McCoy for popping popcorn even though we couldn't have it at The Underground (my misunderstanding).

I want to thank my son, Brendon, for helping put amps in place, running extensions, setting up chairs, helping with the organization and getting some of his students to perform.

I want to thank my daughter, Tegan, for putting up with me when I made her practice and learn a very difficult acoustic guitar part.

Most of all, I want to thank my wonderful, beautiful wife of 36 years who has to put up with all this and my general madness in the week leading up to the jam. She did a great job rounding up adrenaline-crazed, smoothie-high musicians for their performances. 

If I forgot someone, I am sorry. Please let me know.

It was really, really fun... and I think the kids had a good time , also! 

Terry

Kids' Jam Winter 2011

Hi there. Saturday , January 29th, we will have our next Kids' Jam at The Underground in Naperville! I'm real excited. There are over 30 performances on the schedule. The kids have been working real hard to get ready for it. I'll post videos and pictures as soon as I have them.

2nd Annual (kinda sorta) Kids' Jam

NapervilleGuitarLessons.com is proud to present the 2nd Annual Kids' Jam August 21st , 6-8 PM at Grace United Methodist Church in Naperville Il. The Jam is by invitation and registration only. We are going to get a bunch of guitar , drum and bass students together and just play a lot of music. There will be some contests ( some hard some easy) and any kid that wants to perform alone (shiver) for the group will be allowed to.

I have also invited Randy Buescher to speek/demo his voice teaching philosophy . Randy shares the same values I do as a music teacher; we both help the student reach their musical goals. Visit his website a t www.speechlevelvoice.com/

Here's the location for registration

www.napervilleguitarlessons.com/kjam.html

See you there.
Thanks, Terry

Kids' Jam

Hi.
I don't know about you but I always hated recitals. I didn't like playing in them and I didn't like watching them; they were always awkward for everyone except the parents of the kid sweating through Ode to Joy or Moonlight Sonata. Yuk.
Some people like to be out front no matter what they are doing. But I always liked playing with other people. Like in a group or a band. It was fun and you could really expand your music. When everyone is on the same beat and having a good time, there is not much better in life. The guitar is a very social instrument as well as a very personal instrument.
So, I don't force any of my students to perform. That's very personal and I feel it's up to them. I give them the chance to play with other kids. If they would like, they can play solo for everyone. But I don't like show offs. You can go to Guitar Center just about any day of the week and get your fill of guitar hero wannabes. That's not what it's all about.
It's making yourself feel good about the music. If it's alone or with others that's good. If someone listening likes it, great. If not, that's ok also.

I'm starting to work on my August Kids' Jam. I expect to have a lot of fun. It will be loud, but fun.