Youth beginner guitar classes start in January
The Crown of the Continent Guitar Foundation (COCGF) is pleased to announce that it has joined with sponsoring partners the Bigfork ACES after school program and the Bigfork Brewfest to offer a new beginner guitar program for 5th- through 8th-graders. The Beginner Guitar Program will be taught by professional guitarist Tim Torgerson and be held at the Bigfork Middle School for six weeks, Jan 11 through Feb. 29.
Extending guitar education opportunities for youth year-round has been a long-time goal of the COCGF.
“Investing in guitar education, especially for youth is an essential element to accomplishing this vision,” said Arin Lever, Crown Guitar Festival Manager. “The younger we start, the more potential there is for nurturing greatness.
“We love our August-September Workshop and Festival and we’ve hosted many short workshops in local schools, but there was still some room to grow and make a difference in our local youth musician community. Thanks to some amazing local sponsors and educators, that dream has become a reality.”
Organizers chose the 5th- through 8th-grade level students because it seemed to be the perfect age to introduce beginner guitar skills and universal music knowledge.
“The opportunity to learn the basics and possibly spark a real desire to pursue the study of guitar is what this beginner guitar program is designed to do” Lever said. “Some kids will obviously try it and decide it is not for them, but it’s the kids who pick it up and decide they have a passion, that we are hoping to catch at an early age.”
The program will start out in Bigfork, but has its sights set on a bigger vision to partner with other afterschool programs across the Flathead alley and offer advanced guitar lessons. Currently, the COCGF sponsors 10 or more scholarships for Flathead Valley teachers, performers and students to attend the annual, week-long workshop which next year will be held Aug. 27 to Sept. 3, 2016.
The Crown’s founding director David Feffer notes that closing the gap between a beginner guitarist and being awarded a scholarship is the road the organization is looking to pave.
“The Crown’s goal from day one has been to establish the Flathead Valley as an internationally regarded center for the guitar,” Feffer said. “Investing in guitar education, especially for our youth is an essential element to accomplishing this vision.”
The Beginner Guitar Program will be held on Mondays from 3:45 to 4:45 p.m. in room 128 at Bigfork School on the following dates: Jan. 11, 25, and Feb. 1, 8, 22, and 29. Space is limited.
Application deadline is Jan. 6. The $25 enrollment fee includes a take-home guitar and scholarships are available. Apply by contacting Cathy Hay in person at Bigfork ACES or Lever at 406-890-9767.
The Aces After school Program (Bigfork Aces) provides a place where kids can succeed academically, socially, physically and emotionally. Aces is an acronym for arts, community education and sports.
Founded in 2009, the nonprofit Crown of the Continent Guitar Foundation celebrates the love of the guitar and the magical splendor of Montana. The Foundation provides scholarships and collaborates with other nonprofit organizations in the Flathead Valley. The workshop is a perfect opportunity for drawing inspiration, perfecting technique and deepening one’s passion for the guitar and music.
For more information, visit www.cocguitarfoundation.org.