Music Connection for Kids

American Old-time  •  Celtic  •  Bluegrass  •  Folk ...


Music Connection for Kids

Here’s a music workshop for kids where they can explore various avenues of traditional music. It's an opportunity to be social musically, to hook up with music buddies, and to rehearse and perform in small groups. Together we’ll delve into American Old-time, Celtic, bluegrass repertoires ... and other styles as well.

Participants get to play and perform frequently in a noncompetitive environment, where fun takes precedence over perfection. With matters in this order improvement follows naturally.

Fiddle - Violin - Mandolin - Guitar - Banjo - Bass

We foster the social and musical skills needed to participate in jams and rehearsals: leadership, friendly respectful communication, learning by ear, memorization, arranging and improvisation.

We'll explore the creative paths that many adult musicians wish they’d learned at a younger age. Kids learn a lot when they participate a school band class or orchestra rehearsals, but these programs seldom teach them how to join spontaneously when people gather to play music, especially when they do so without notation. Indeed, many mature musicians can’t play a note unless there’s a corresponding a dot on a page.

At the Music Connection workshop we acquaint kids with skills that fill the gap and increase the likelihood of enjoyable lifelong musicianship ... even when work, busy lives and child rearing make an unlikely prospect of large commitments like orchestra membership.

First Sundays – March thru June 2006

Dates: Mar. 5, Apr. 2, May 7, June 4

Time: 3:30 to 5:15 pm

Performances: roughly 5:00 to 5:15 pm

Family members, guests, and people
interested in the workshops
are welcome come listen at 5pm.

Location: Unitarian Church - Children’s Chapel
55 Eckley Lane, Walnut Creek, CA


The Music Connection workshop is open
to K thru 12 school age kids, who play:

Fiddle, Violin, Mandolin
Guitar, Banjo, Acoustic Bass

The price for this series
of four meetings is $100

Class size is limited. To reserve a spot,
please pre-enroll with instructor's approval.

Though it has never occurred, if we have insufficient enrollment, class will be cancelled and I will return checks.

Here's what we do

For those familiar with Singingwood 's other rehearsal and performance workshops, Music Connection for Kids is essentially the Horizon Workshop for a younger set.

We gather in one large group for presentations, instruction, and performances, but most of the time is spent in small guided rehearsals in the five rooms we have available. At the end of the meeting. the groups perform for each other. A couple of members are welcome to sign up for a solo "recital." The performances start roughly at 5pm. Parents, family and friends are welcome to attend.

Activities will include:

  - performing in groups for an audience of fellow musicians.
  - performing individually with accompaniment
  - warming up with and relaxation purposeful focus
  - getting a better grasp of the fundamentals
  - learning common repertoire (standards played in jam sessions)
  - learning to start and stop tunes. 
  - rehearsing and arranging music
  - leading and participating in jam sessions
  - learning about accompaniment, backup and improvisation
  - singing melody and basic harmony

Throughout this series we introduce and emphasize study skills that reduce the time it takes to learn tunes and master techniques. Regular use in a group setting helps underscore the value of these study skills and encourages kids to use them during home practice.

We have enough assistants to work with kids of different ages and levels. As mentioned, we have enough rooms to hold five seperate rehearsals concurrently.

Get involved! Support kids in the arts!

Numerous musicians, parents, and my advanced students have volunteered to assist at these workshops. If you're interested in supporting a music program for kids, or if you know someone who might be interested, please let me know!

Please pass the word to friends, to kids that play, and mention it to the the music instructors you know ... or email me their contact information. I'd like to increase the community.

John Blasquez 925-935-9295

Email: MusicForKids@singingwood.com

About the Instructor

John Blasquez is an award winning fiddler with 29 years experience teaching private lessons and workshops. He plays bluegrass, old-time, Celtic music on fiddle, mandolin and guitar, and he finger-picks in a wide range of styles.

His ongoing performance and rehearsal workshops have earned him lots of experience in fostering and improving musical collaborations. He has the support of assistants and volunteers that will help coach and guide rehearsals. An articulate teacher (and winner of the 1995 California Music Camp “Most Photocopied Instructor” award), John always brings a small library of notation, charts and articles.

 

Workshop Registration


Please contact Singingwood Music by phone
before enrolling to ensure that the course is good fit
... and to get the address for sending payment.

Call John Blasquez:  925-935-9295

 Or email John at: mckids@singingwood.com

                                       Location


All music classes are in Walnut Creek at:

   Mt. Diablo Unitarian Church
   in the Gilmartin Building
   55 Eckley Lane
   Walnut Creek

   Directions to the Mt. Diablo Unitarian Church

The Gilmartin Building is the first building as you walk from the parking lot toward the new church hall.

The cross street is Walnut Blvd. near Homestead. On Eckley, go up the hill and turn left into the parking lot. (There are two churches and a Synagogue on Eckley, so don't just pull into any ol' parking lot with a house of worship!)


Singingwood Music
Singingwood Home Page |  Singingwood Calendar

Music Lessons:   Violin • Fiddle •  Guitar • Mandolin  • Bodhran • Horizon Workshops 
Performances:  Bluegrass & Old-time Music  •  Irish & Celtic Music  •  Music for Ceremonies

Phone: 925-935-9295
Email: Contact Singingwood Music


   

Private Music Lessons
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Fiddling for kids.
Private music lessons, Group Instruction
Fiddle, Guitar, Violin, Mandolin, Banjo & Bodhran
Workshops & Introductory Classes for adults, teens and kids.
In Walnut Creek, California.

Near Danville, Alamo, Blackhawk, Lafayette, Orinda, Moraga, Pleasant Hill, Martinez, Concord, Clayton, Brentwood, San Ramon, Dublin, Pleasanton, Oakland, Piedmont, Alameda, Castro Valley, Hayward, Fremont, San Leandro, Berkeley, Albany, Emeryville, El Cerrito, El Sobrante, Kensington, Pinole, Hercules, Crockett, Panacea, Napa, Novato, Vallejo, Vacaville, Livermore, Stockton, Modesto, and San Francisco.

Serving the San Francisco Bay Area, East Bay
Contra Costa County and Alameda County, CA