Music Camps are popular during the summer months because it gives students a chance to immerse themselves in a musician’s lifestyle of practicing and learning new things.  Grosse Pointe Music Academy is offering 2 weeklong camps designed to give budding musicians the space to learn, practice, and be creative in music.  With extended class times students can make very big strides in their practice habits and abilities.

At the Grosse Pointe Music Academy Summer Music Camps students will learn more about their principle instrument by practicing and playing with others.  Students will also learn more about the following musical subjects:

Music Theory

Music Theory isn’t really a theory.  It is essentially a system of what to call things in music.  Notes, chords, scales, rhythm patterns, and other things in music all have names and functions.  Learning music theory is great for musicians who want to write music or communicate musically with others.

Composition

Writing music your own music is something that is within reach for anyone taking up music.  The fundamentals of songwriting are a great tool for players of all instruments and vocalists.

Practice

Yes we are talking about practice.  Anyone who is serious about anything will stare this word in the face and not try to run from it.  The inevitable practice is what makes makes our rough edges smooth and turns effort into the effortless.  Practice, Practice, Practice should always be done for those that want to me good.  Since it is inevitable then sit back and enjoy the process.

Performance

The presence of an audience and having to perform is enough to make some people want to run away and hide.  For whichever reason there seems to be a fear of public performance for speakers, singers, and instrumentalists.  Learning to keep cool and stay focused under pressure will certainly help in most situations.

Music History/Appreciation

So much is learned simply by doing nothing but listening.  Knowing a little about the musicians of our past can be very enlightening.  Music has clearly evolved dramatically over the years but the influences from the past continue to show.

Improvisation

Improvisational skills are great for all musicians.  Making quick decisions on what to play and when to play it can be very useful to musicians.

In 2002 I began offering guitar camps for my guitar students and new students that were looking to get started playing.  After the first camp it became absolutely clear that guitar players benefited strongly from the process of immersion that the camp experience brings.  When a student becomes completely involved with the process of learning music it is hard to become a lot better even in a short amount of time.  Students who fully participated in all of the processes of camp were gaining in ability before their own eyes.  Simply put, when you are in guitar camp for 5 hours per day, you will get better.

by Henry Bahrou

GPMA School Director

Sign up for the GPMA Summer Camps

Grosse Pointe Music Academy

19443 Mack Ave.

Grosse Pointe Woods, MI

48236

313.458.7723

info@grossepointemusicacademy.com

Spring Semester is here and it’s not too late to register.  Music Together of Grosse Pointe, held at the Grosse Pointe Music Academy welcomes you to our beautiful new location on 19443 Mack, near Men’s Wearhouse and Caribou Coffee (a great plus!).   Many of you in our classes are returning for your 2^nd or 3^rd Music Together Collection, some more than that (WOW!) and some are coming for their first time this spring.  Either way, here are some ways to make the most of your experience at our Music Together classes.

First of all, use your songbook! The first 6 pages of the songbook include valuable information for you as the parent and most of this post is based on that resource!

Know that not every parent feels comfortable in class at first.  In spite of past music experiences, we invite you to look at this class through the eyes of your child and enjoy playing and participating in music as if it was the first time.

Our classes are meant to be family music experiences, so siblings can attend together (and you’ll get a great discount on the 2^nd sibling! AND Infant siblings under 8 months are free with an enrolled sibling.) Siblings are encouraged to attend class together so they will participate in the same activities and will want to recreate these at home, thus bringing music-making bask into family life. That is why we are called Music-Together – it’s you and your family making music.

Mixed-age classes are educationally sound. Babies and younger children learn by observing and imitating, older children learn by “doing” and being models for the younger children. In my personal experience the classes with the most varied age range have been the richest musically for the families (Thank you, Thursday 11:00 a.m. class!)

It is never too early or too late to begin Music Together classes. In class you will experience music that is fun, accessible and sophisticated, so that people of many ages can enjoy. I’ve actually had a nanny tell me that her teenage daughter requests the Music Together cd while they are in the car! How is that for an endorsement?

“Because children and adults enter the class at many different levels, each person comes away with what he or she needs for their own musical growth. It is like a musical buffet: each person picks his or her favorite foods today, but may choose something different tomorrow, depending on tasted and the nourishment needed. A toddler, an infant, or a four-year-old may take different thing home from a Music Together class, but each will find many things that meet his or her musical needs. In this way, a child may begin classes at any age and will continue to grow musically throughout succeeding semesters.” This is printed in the front of your songbook, along with a lot of other great explanation.

Come experience the musical buffet that is a Music Together class. You are always welcome to call ahead and try one class as a demo before you decide to sign up for the semester. Music Together of Grosse Pointe is excited to grow in our new location, with our new teacher, Miss Emily, teaching on Tuesday mornings. It’s the perfect time to make the most of your Music Together experience!

By: Sarah Boyd, Director, Music Together of Grosse Pointe

So how to you model music? Think of songs you knew and loved as a child and start by singing while doing something with your children. Tap the beat while you sing or sway to your music and you’ll be modeling the strong connection between music and movement. Rhythm is movement, so the more you move, the more rhythm you model. My favorite memory of my parents modeling music for me was when my mom played accordion, my dad sang, and my sister and I washed the dishes after dinner. These spontaneous music moments stayed with me and I carry on the same tradition with my children today!

You’ll glean many music modeling ideas from your Music Together teacher, as well as from the 2 Class CDs and the songbook you’ll receive each semester. Our Spring classes start on Monday, April 16^th. We’d love to meet you, and excited to welcome back old friends, and model music-making for our children!

By: Sarah Boyd, Director, Music Together of Grosse Pointe

The Grosse Pointe Music Academy will open up it’s new location at 19443 Mack Ave. on Monday April 16th.  I was in checking in on the progress and took a few photos to share.  I am excited to begin a new era of Grosse Pointe Music Academy in out new space.  I believe our new place will be much more efficient on many levels and central to all areas of the Grosse Pointe Community.  We will also have more abundant parking as well as many other Mack Avenue business in walking distance.  Enjoy Caribou Coffee, Burrito Mundo, or check out The Pointe After’s new location right next door to us.  We will be in the building that was formerly a 2nd location for Grosse Pointe’s Village cleaners.

In 2005 we started off as a small 1 room guitar store and studio on Charlevoix in Grosse Pointe Park.  Within a year we had expanded to teaching Piano, Drums, Bass Guitar, and Voice.  Within 3 years we added lessons for Strings and Band Instruments.  In the summer of 2009 we completely outgrew our studios on Charlevoix and moved to 17012 Mack Ave.  Although it was our current location was growing consistently, we had a great opportunity to design a space specifically to fit our needs.  Our mission is to offer the highest quality music education to the Grosse Pointe’s and it’s surrounding communities.

I would just like to express my gratitude to all the Parents, Students, Staff, Teachers, and Fans of the Grosse Pointe Music Academy.  Music is all of our passion and we want everyone to gain the same enjoyment from music that we all do.

Please leave us any questions or comments in the comment section of this post.  I hope everyone has a Happy Holiday week and we look forward to seeing you at the new location!

by Henry Bahrou

Grosse Pointe Music Academy School Director

Official New Address:

Grosse Pointe Music Academy

19443 Mack Ave.

Grosse Pointe Woods, MI

48236

So watch this video and hopefully it inspires you to take music lessons.  We have teachers that are very eager to work with adult students and children alike.  If you are willing to learn then we are willing to teach.  Our highly educated staff can help you learn the basics all the way through advanced studies in Guitar, Piano, Bass Guitar, Drums, Voice, Violin, Clarinet, Saxophone, and Ukulele.

Grosse Pointe Music Academy offers the highest quality of music instruction for all musical instruments and voice.  We teacher beginner through advanced subjects in music to players and singers of all ages.  Call us or stop by one of our two metro Detroit area schools to start your musical journey today!

Grosse Pointe Music Academy

19443 Mack Ave.

Grosse Pointe Woods, MI

48236

313-458-7723

Grosse Pointe Music Academy Canton

5880 N. Canton Center Rd. Ste. 425

Canton, MI

48187

734-418-0640

Grosse Pointe Music Academy was originally started as Guitar Union Music Shop on Charlevoix St. at Lakepointe in Grosse Pointe Park.  We moved to Mack and Cadieux in August of 2009.  Guitar Union Music Shop was originally just a place to take guitar lessons and buy guitar accessories.  In order to meet the needs of our customers in the community we expanded to teaching drums, piano, bass guitar, violin, voice, and other instruments.  We currently have 25 university trained music instructors that are keeping music education alive in the metro Detroit area.

Music is our passion and we are committed to serving our community and surrounding communities with the highest quality of music instruction.  Music Lessons are not only available for children.  Many adults who with or without experience take lessons with Grosse Pointe Music Academy instructors.  We believe that anyone who is willing to dedicate some of their time to practicing daily can and will progress in music.  We also understand that not everyone is pursuing a career in music and simply wants to learn for their own personal enjoyment.  You will will receive a personalized plan for achieving your goals when taking lessons with us.

Our new location will be under construction during the month of March.  If you are interested in setting up lessons you can sign up anytime.  We will continue to operate from our current location and move seamlessly into our new space.

As of April 16th, 2012 our new address will be:

19443 Mack Ave.

Grosse Pointe Woods, MI 48236
N
View Larger Map

-Martin Luther (1483-1546)

The above quote clearly expresses Martin Luther’s opinion on human beings.  My translation of Luther’s quote would be something like: If you’re no good at music, then you’re not well educated.  It would be nice to have an interview with Martin Luther to see exactly what he meant.  Since he died well over 400 years ago though we can only speculate on his answers but here are some of the questions I would ask:

1.  Does your statement mean that even science instructors should know music?

2.  What about physical education teachers?

3.  What will happen to the millions of students that are not getting any music education in the United States and around the world?

4.  What exactly is so profound about learning music that makes you say everyone should learn?

5.  Should everyone learn voice and an instrument? Multiple instruments?

These are just a few of the questions that I can think of now but would most likely have more if I could hear Martin Luther elaborate on this.  Does anyone know the source of this quote and whether or not there exists any further thoughts?

It seems to be easier and easier to find highly regarded people claiming these astonishing things about music.  I happen to think that music has provided for me a great deal of discipline as well as joy.  I personally am not willing to make a statement that I don’t regard a teacher for what he teaches if he doesn’t know music.  I think it’s a bit extreme to fire the home economics teacher just because she can’t play “Flight of the Bumblebee”.  Are these quotes just conjured by the music industry to sell their products and service or is there something that incredible about music and music education that makes people say these things?

by Musicguru

Grosse Pointe Music Academy

2 location serving the Metro Detroit Area in Southeastern Michigan.

The following fantastic list of advice comes courtesy of legendary jazz pianist Thelonious Monk, a musical genius who died exactly 30 years ago, on February 17th of 1982. The list was transcribed by saxophonist Steve Lacy in 1960.

Enjoy.

Transcript follows.

(Source: Heck of a Guy; Image above: Thelonious Monk, via.)

Transcript
T.MONK’S ADVICE (1960)

JUST BECAUSE YOU’RE NOT A DRUMMER, DOESN’T MEAN YOU DON’T HAVE TO KEEP TIME.

PAT YOUR FOOT & SING THE MELODY IN YOUR HEAD, WHEN YOU PLAY.

STOP PLAYING ALL THOSE WEIRD NOTES (THAT BULLSHIT), PLAY THE MELODY!

MAKE THE DRUMMER SOUND GOOD.

DISCRIMINATION IS IMPORTANT.

YOU’VE GOT TO DIG IT TO DIG IT, YOU DIG?

ALL REET!

ALWAYS KNOW… (MONK)

IT MUST BE ALWAYS NIGHT, OTHERWISE THEY WOULDN’T NEED THE LIGHTS.

LET’S LIFT THE BAND STAND!!

I WANT TO AVOID THE HECKLERS.

DON’T PLAY THE PIANO PART, I’M PLAYING THAT. DON’T LISTEN TO ME. I’M SUPPOSED TO BE ACCOMPANYING YOU!

THE INSIDE OF THE TUNE (THE BRIDGE) IS THE PART THAT MAKES THE OUTSIDE SOUND GOOD.

DON’T PLAY EVERYTHING (OR EVERY TIME); LET SOME THINGS GO BY. SOME MUSIC JUST IMAGINED. WHAT YOU DON’T PLAY CAN BE MORE IMPORTANT THAT WHAT YOU DO.

ALWAYS LEAVE THEM WANTING MORE.

A NOTE CAN BE SMALL AS A PIN OR AS BIG AS THE WORLD, IT DEPENDS ON YOUR IMAGINATION.

STAY IN SHAPE! SOMETIMES A MUSICIAN WAITS FOR A GIG, & WHEN IT COMES, HE’S OUT OF SHAPE & CAN’T MAKE IT.

WHEN YOU’RE SWINGING, SWING SOME MORE!

(WHAT SHOULD WE WEAR TONIGHT? SHARP AS POSSIBLE!)

DON’T SOUND ANYBODY FOR A GIG, JUST BE ON THE SCENE. THESE PIECES WERE WRITTEN SO AS TO HAVE SOMETHING TO PLAY, & TO GET CATS INTERESTED ENOUGH TO COME TO REHEARSAL.

YOU’VE GOT IT! IF YOU DON’T WANT TO PLAY, TELL A JOKE OR DANCE, BUT IN ANY CASE, YOU GOT IT! (TO A DRUMMER WHO DIDN’T WANT TO SOLO).

WHATEVER YOU THINK CAN’T BE DONE, SOMEBODY WILL COME ALONG & DO IT. A GENIUS IS THE ONE MOST LIKE HIMSELF.

THEY TRIED TO GET ME TO HATE WHITE PEOPLE, BUT SOMEONE WOULD ALWAYS COME ALONG & SPOIL IT.

Posted by Grosse Pointe Music Academy Staff

Grosse Pointe Music Academy is a private music institution offering private lessons and group classes in musical instrument and voice.  We have locations in Grosse Pointe on the Eastside of Detroit and on the Westside of Detroit in Canton Township.