Beat The Summertime Blues

I am happy to announce that I will lead another CYM Course, “Summertime Blues”, and it will be similar to the one we have had for the past two summers. Students who attended in the summers of 2020 and 2021 are welcome to sign up again, and beginners may join in as well. Each meeting will be one hour in length, and kids aged 6 years to 12 (or so) will enjoy it – parents can take part too. The first three classes will be held on Zoom and the fourth and fifth class will be held in person, so students can jam with others in real time. Weather permitting, the class will be outside at Lake Drive or at the Perry Highway Lutheran Church.

Any students who play guitar electric or steel-string acoustic, piano, or keyboard can participate with those instruments, AND anyone interested in signing up for the course who does not play one of these (or who doesn’t yet play any instrument) can participate with a HARMONICA. The kids who took the course previously used a harmonica in class and really enjoyed learning how to play simple blues harp.

Students will learn basic theory as it applies to Blues, chord progressions, dominant seventh chords, pentatonic scales, 12 bar blues, etc. We will also work on rhythm and counting. Participants can experiment with other instruments as they are available to them at home. Although we will talk about how Blues influenced rock and pop music, the theory that students learn will also be applicable to the music they play in their weekly studies at CYM. We will have fun learning a new style of music and playing together (as you might not have done for quite some time) with other students.

Buy a harmonica beforehand if you would like to bring one to the course. I recommend the Fender Blues Deluxe Harmonica, Key of C harmonica, which you can purchase here. No other materials are necessary. Files and links will be emailed to parents as needed. I hope to see you there!

This course will run Monday June 27 through Friday July 1, with a session each day from 1:30 – 2:30. Cost is $125 for the five sessions. Register on the Events Calendar.

Any questions, email Mark Marston at marston@youngmusicians.org