GGS students featured with Halsey for Billboard’s Women in Music Awards airing on Lifetime TV Dec. 12.
GGS welcomed pop singer-songwriter Halsey to our studio last week. The private mentoring session was captured on film for Billboard’s upcoming Women Music Awards which will air on Lifetime TV Monday, Dec. 12 where Halsey will be given the “Rising Star” award. The show won’t air until next week, but you can see a sneak preview of it here:
Halsey met with GGS students to answer questions about the music industry and song writing among other things. A few GGS students even got a chance to play for the special guest. We are grateful to have had the opportunity to welcome Halsey to our studio and thank her for taking the time to stop by and share her experience and insight with us.
Behind the scenes:
I would like to extend my personal thanks to Halsey, Jessica Rovniak and Billboard for bringing this inspirational opportunity to GGS students. Welcome to our small but mighty tribe of girl guitar goodness, Halsey. Keep doing what you’re doing and know the girls at GGS got your back. We hope to see you again soon. – October
***
To find your own inspiration on the guitar, email us at girlsguitarschool@gmail.com to schedule a lesson in person or online.
Be sure to check out the GGS YouTube channel, too! : http://www.youtube.com/user/girlsgtr
Follow us on Twitter @girlsgtrschool or on Facebook: www.facebook.com/GirlsGuitarSchool
Fall Session Starts Sunday, September 8
School is back in session and so are we! Six-week classes run Sept. 8 – Oct. 13. Tuition is $180.00. Please contact us at (818) 903-7763 or by email at girlsguitarschool@gmail.com for more details or to register for classes.
Guitar 101 Sundays, 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. The perfect class for absolute beginners. Girls will learn simple chords, strumming and melody playing songs they know and songs they create together. No prior experience necessary.
Guitar 102 Sundays, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. This class picks up where Guitar 101 left off, with more complex strumming, simple leads and introduction to reading music. Some prior experience with chords and strumming required.
GGS Girls Guitar Ensemble (Photo: Frank Guttler)
Our classroom and private studio are located in Sherman Oaks, CA at 14534 Ventura Blvd. Limited private, Skype and semi-private lessons on guitar and ukulele also available year-round.
Did you know that practicing a musical instrument increases brain function and enhances learning? According to the Children’s Music Workshop, “Recent studies have clearly indicated that musical training physically develops the part of the left side of the brain known to be involved with processing language, and can actually wire the brain’s circuits in specific ways. Linking familiar songs to new information can also help imprint information on young minds.” Click link to read more from the PBS article: The Benefits of Music Education .
Happy playing, we’ll see you at the studio!
Upcoming Events:
Fall Session, September 8 – October 13 (see schedule above)
Free Intro Guitar Class
Sunday, October 20, 12:30 p.m. All ages welcome.
Sherman Oaks Street Fair – Strum Along and Performance
Sunday, October 20, 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Join us for an afternoon of outdoor student performance and strum-along. We’ll be outside of Baxter Northup Music playing our favorite female-created music and answering your questions about the GGS program. Come meet our students and make some music (or just learn more about what we do and how you can become involved).
Resolve to play more guitar.
2013 Registration for Guitar 101 for Teens extended to January 13!
Theresa, Jenny, Stella, and Emily of Warpaint
Absolute beginners:
Guitar 101 for Teens, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
We have a limited amount of seats available for this class. Please contact us at 818-903-7763 to register or hold a seat.
NEW! (By student request) Guitar 102 for Women starts Sunday, January 27 from 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
This is the perfect class for women with some experience with open chords and basic strumming. Class runs for six weeks.
Tuition for all courses $180.00 Due in full by first class of the session. Please contact us to hold your seat. Students must provide their own instruments.
What are your playing goals for this year? Follow us on Twitter at @girlsgtrschool and join the conversation. One big one for us is to reach and support more girls and women ready to play guitar in Los Angeles. Sign up for our email list to receive updates on our programming, practice tips and inspiration.
Did you see Karen Packer’s recent article on GGS for Patch.com? Take a peek: Local Musician Changes the Face of Music One Girl at a Time.
Have more questions? Please contact us by phone at 818-903-7763 or by email at girlsguitarschool@gmail.com.
Please note: All Rights Reserved (c) 2013 October Crifasi/Girls Guitar School except where noted.
Fall Session Starts this Sunday, November 4
GGS students rocking at the Sherman Oaks Street Fair (Photo: October Crifasi/Girls Guitar School)
Guitar 101 starts this Sunday. Session runs Nov. 4 – Dec. 2 (no class 11/25).
Limited spots available for both levels, please call 818-903-7763 to register before Sunday, Nov. 4. Classes located at 14534 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, CA.
Tuition is $120.00 and is due in full by Sunday, November 4.
Schedule:
Guitar 101 for Teens at 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Guitar 101 for Ages 10 – 11 at 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
We’ll see you in class!
Fall Events, Classes, and Open House
Highlights:
Free Intro to Guitar Class – Sunday, October 28 11:00 – 11:45 a.m., Open House 12:00 – 4:00 p.m.
It’s time again for our free intro class for girls and women of all ages. This is open to the public and will include a brief overview of the instrument and chords. This is the perfect opportunity to get a taste of our group classes without the commitment of a full session. Instructor will be free for questions afterward or to register students for the November session. Please join us – all you need is a guitar! This day will also feature performances by faculty and students of both Baxter Northup Music School and GGS. Always a great time! No prior registration needed.
FALL GROUP CLASSES (Special Four-Week Format) November 4 – December 2 (no class 11/25) Tuition $120.00
Guitar 2b for Girls Ages 8-9. 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
Picks up where Guitar 2 left off. This special mini-session will focus on ensemble arrangement of 2 songs using skill sets and technique learned in Guitar 101 – Guitar 2. Prior experience and approval of instructor required to join.
Guitar 101 for Teens. 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Students will learn basic open chords, rhythm and single note melody using songs by female artists and their own compositions. Acoustic and electric guitars welcome. Absolute beginners welcome! (Small/practice amps required of electric guitar students.)
Guitar 101 for Girls Ages 10-11. 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Students will learn basic open chords, rhythm and single note melody using songs by female artists and their own compositions. Acoustic and electric guitars welcome. Absolute beginners welcome! (Small/practice amps required of electric guitar students.)
Private lessons in-person and via Skype available all year. Please contact us for availability.
Summer Session Starts July 8!
Guitar 101 for Women on Sundays 2:00 – 3:00 (see Classes page for description)
What’s Cookin’:
Guitar 102 for Girls 8 & 9 (prior experience required) Sundays 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
Guitar 101 for Women Sundays 2:00 -3:00 p.m.
Girls with Guitars Level 1 (open to new students with advanced beginner/intermediate skills) Day and time TBA soon
Please see Classes page for more detailed information and tuition. Reserve your spot by calling 818-903-7763 or email at girlsguitarschool@gmail.com.
Please help us spread the word about our program – share this with your friends and family. We are also on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/GirlsGuitarSchool and Twitter @girlsgtrschool .
More exciting news coming soon! See you in class.
GGS proudly presents our first workshop:
The Power of 4 Strings: Bass Basics for Guitarists & Beginners
Sunday, November 13; 1:00 – 2:30 p.m.
$35.00 | Seats available 6
Our classroom space in Baxter Northup Music, 14534 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, CA
Terry de Castro, bass player extraordinaire for British Indie bands The Wedding Present and Goya Dress, leads this 90-minute introduction to the world and power of the bass. Explore simple bass lines and rhythm. Learn about female players rockin’ the bass universe. Bring your bass or acoustic guitar and be ready to have a heckuva lot of fun!
Students are required to provide their own instruments, small practice amps are encouraged.
Contact us today to reserve your spot. Space is limited and will fill quickly.
The Reckless Pretties with Terry de Castro and October, Los Angeles, July 2011 (Photo by: Brett Stranaire)
For more in the exciting news column…GGS students were featured on Everett True’s blog, Collapse Board! Our deepest thanks to Joyce Raskin for including our work in her article. Check out the Reckless Pretties doing their thing at the Stories Cafe event in July right here.
As always, feel free to drop us a line with questions or referrals. Information on our next session of group classes soon on the way. Next up this month is a four-week Ukelele class! Sundays- 2:00 – 2:45 p.m., starting 11/27. Be sure to sign up for our email updates so you don’t miss it.
See you at the workshop!
Summer is the time to rock.
It’s almost here and we are ready for it. Next session of group classes for both Girls and Ladies Guitar School will begin in June. We are still in the midst of fine tuning schedules but will posting the start dates soon.
Help us make this girls music revolution a thriving and vibrant thang – do you have any old rock posters, pictures, record jackets, etc of female musician, bands or songwriters that you would be willing to donate to the cause? If so, please email us at girlsguitarschool@gmail.com to sort out pick up/drop off/mail details.
Did you hear the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame has just launched a new exhibit honoring the women of rock n roll? Yes indeed! More information here: http://rockhall.com/exhibits/women-who-rock/
There are a slew of female artists on the road right now. KT Tunstall, Thao and Mirah are but a few of the women you will find hitting the summer tour circuit. Check your local listings and go, go, go!
Exploration for the week: Working with Sixth Chords
Great article and video by Jane Miller about learning and working with Sixth Chords. Click on the crazy blue link below!
March 20 not only sees the start of Guitar 101 for girls ages 7 – 10, but also the graduation performance of Girls With Guitars Ensemble Level 2. Performance is at 2:00 p.m. They’ll be playing songs by Paramore, Taylor Swift and their own composition. Come on by!
We have received more interest for the adult version of Guitar 101. We only need a few more students to make it a reality…please help us make it happen by spreading the word. Thanks!
Going to SXSW this weekend? Say hello and check out Girl Guitar Austin and Girls Rock Camp Austin events.
Send us a note and tell us about any great new female artists you may have discovered during the festival.
Thanks and see you in class!
International Women’s Day
Kaki King
March 8 is International Women’s Day which means it is a particularly great week for finding women and girls making music in your community. Check with your local libraries, museums and colleges for interesting and inspiring events for you or your favorite female music maker. A listing of national events can be found here:
http://www.internationalwomensday.com/search.asp?page=6&country=223&town=
Other ideas for inspiration:
Pull together some of your favorite music by a female artist and share it with your favorite female guitar player or make a special mix cd filled with inspirational female players to give as a gift or to have on hand when the motivation to practice is at an all time low.
Have some friends over for a selection of female rocker inspired movies and/or concerts.
Go out and see/support a local female artist at a local venue.
Go to the library and check out music from a player you may have never heard of before.
Make a wish list of songs that you would love to be able to play in a year — choose two and get about learning ’em. Take it even one step further and find a local open mic to try out those live performance skills.
Get a few of your female musician friends over for a night of jamming.
Get a sparkly new set of strings and put them on the guitar. Don’t know how? Give yourself (or daughter) the gift of being a self-sufficient player and learn how. Great instructional vid here: http://www.elixirstrings.com/products/howtostring_acoustic.html
Check out listings for the next Girls Rock Camp or Ladies Rock Camp in your area and get signed up for a week of rocking in the summer. List can be found here: http://www.girlsrockcamp.org/supporters/grca
Get yourself a set of colorful picks or whatever sort of picks you like.
and remember to support your favorite female player by encouraging her to practice, learn and create on the instrument. Let her know the world is in need of her unique musical voice. Now more than ever.
Viva la ladies making music!
(We still have a few spots still open for March 13 and March 27 sessions, empower your favorite girl today!)
March Session at Baxter Northup Music Now Enrolling!
We will be starting up an additional session of Guitar 101 for both pre-teen and teen levels at Baxter Northup Music in March. Enrollment is now open. Pre-teen (ages 7 – 10) starts March 13, Teen (11-13) starts March 27. Only 1 – 2 seats left for both levels. Girls with Guitars level 2 will be also be wrapping up with a brief in-store performance on Sunday, March 20 at 2:00 p.m. Come on by and show your support.
There has also been interest in starting up a weekly beginner class for women at Baxter, both as part of the lunchtime series and as a weekend class. If you or a woman you know has been kicking around the idea of learning to play, please let us know. We want to see this part of the GGS program happen and we need your participation to make it so. Please contact October via girlsguitarschool@gmail.com for more information, we only need a few more students for each option to give it the green light. It is never too late and you are never too old to learn to play (and rock!).
Inspiration for this week: Singer/songwriter/guitarist, Tift Merritt.
girlsguitarschool.com 
You must be logged in to post a comment.