Opportunities to Learn from Mel Bay Authors
by Stephen Rekas

For many, summer is the ideal time to hone playing skills, learn fresh repertoire selections, explore new techniques, or even take up a new instrument or playing style. This spring and summer particularly, you'll have multiple opportunities to learn directly from masterful teachers who happen to be Mel Bay authors. From fingerstyle or flatpicking workshops to teacher preparation seminars and week-long classic guitar festivals with master classes and gala evening performances, you're sure to find something that tickles your fancy:

Anthony Glise: The Third St. Joseph International Guitar Festival
May 25-29
St. Joseph, Missouri

http://www.mwsc.edu/guitarfestival/

Five days of master classes and concerts, a guitar competition with no set pieces or age limitations, plus evening parties and jam sessions. What more could you wish for in a classic guitar experience?

Mike Christiansen: Guitar Teachers' Symposium
June 28-30
Utah State University at Logan

Email: mchristiansen@hass.usu.edu
Tel: (435) 797-3011

Seasoned Mel Bay author Mike Christiansen offers a college-level course on teaching the guitar in a classroom environment. Be a part of the future of guitar education.

Michael Newman & Laura Oltman: The New York Guitar Seminar at Mannes
June 29-July 3
New School University, Mannes College of Music
New York City

For full details, artists' bios, links, accommodations, and application form, please visit the seminar websites: www.mannes.edu/guitar or http://216.71.55.88/gi/

A comprehensive overview of classic guitar pedagogy plus a stellar concert roster and master class faculty. A drawing for a concert guitar is open to all registrants. Presents over 40 hours of activities with the possibility of 2 university credits.

Steve Kaufman's Acoustic Kamps
Week 1: June 12-19, 2005 - Flatpicking, Fingerpicking, Dobro®, Bass and Fiddle
Week 2: June 19-26, 2005 - Flatpicking, Mandolin, Bluegrass and Old Time Banjo
Maryville College
Maryville, TN

Register on-line at www.flatpik.com or call 800-FLATPIK

The most popular acoustic instrument Kamp on the planet! Attend workshops all day followed by evening concerts, then jam all night.

Janet Marlow: The First International 10-String Guitar Festival
July 7-10
Litchfield, Connecticut

http://www.janetmarlow.com
http://www.tenstringguitar.com

Narciso Yepes protégé Janet Marlow hosts the very first multi-string guitar festival featuring 7, 8 and 10-string guitar performances, forums and workshops plus a luthier's perspective of building multi-string instruments.

The Chet Atkins Appreciation Society (CAAS) Convention
July 13-16
The Sheraton Music City Hotel
Nashville, TN

CAAS Registration
Tel: (865) 577-2828
Fax: (865) 687-2065
Email: GMPJR1@aol.com

Dr. Mark Pritcher, President
3716 Timberlake Rd
Knoxville, TN 37920

This four-day convention honors the memory of Chet Atkins. It features numerous Mel Bay authors in an informal gathering of some of the best fingerstyle players in the world. Simultaneous hour-long workshops in various conference rooms plus Up-Close concerts on multiple stages allow you to steal licks from the best, while star-studded evening concerts inspire current and next-generation guitarists. A vendors' fair offers music, videos and recordings plus custom and factory-built instruments and accessories.

Richard Gilewitz: GillaCamp
August 12-14, 2005
Sound City Music
Troy, Ohio

http://www.richardgilewitz.com/

The inimitable Richard Gilewitz explores all facets of acoustic guitar technique and performance in an intimate workshop setting.

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Each of these guitar-related events offers its own unique environment and a variety of educational experiences. If you love the guitar, you owe it to yourself to find your way to one of these first-rate learning and entertainment opportunities.