Post by jptheprofessor on May 28, 2006 10:48:17 GMT -5
On April 29, Get Closer To The Music (www.getclosertothemusic.org) - a nonprofit organization devoted to helping introduce kids to music - staged their third annual Music Festival at the Booker T. Washington Recreation Building in Altoona. Q94 was happy to again be a part of this event.
This was a fun-filled day, as families and youngsters from throughout the area got to see and explore various musical instruments, with instructors and musicians present to show the youngsters how each instrument works and is played. Kids got to try out guitars, basses, keys, drums and more.
Throughout the day, there were musical performances from several area bands and musicians. Generation Gap kicked off the music with their blend of classic and current rock and roll. .00 Buck then performed their brand of old-time country and honky tonk music. Felix & the Hurricanes played their style of classic, southern rock and blues. And the day ended with a jam session hosted by Generation Gap. Several times during the day, youngsters were invited up to the stage to join the bands in making music. Nashville country recording artist Ricky Lee stopped in to make a cameo appearance, and got up and sang two songs with Felix & the Hurricanes. He also handed out free tickets to every youngster who wanted to attend his concert later that evening at the Jaffa Shrine.
It was a very good day. The turnout was excellent, and was the biggest attendance the Music Festival has seen thus far. Throughout the day, you could see the smiles on the faces of youngsters discovering and playing instruments. Lots of happy memories were made, and hopefully many of these youngsters discovered a new interest - music - that will develop into a life-long interest.
On behalf of Get Closer To The Music, thanks to everybody who came out and supported the event!
Here are some pictures from the Music Festival:
Instructor Tim Aungst shows a youngster how to play a bass guitar.
Instructor Lisa Fazenbaker teaches some young ladies how to play the drums.
Instructor Bill Hocherl coaches some more youngsters on how to play the drums.
Jeff Renner introduces a youngster to the world of guitar playing.
Don Hughes lets a youngster try his hand at the keys.
Generation Gap kicked off the music with their set of classic and current rock and roll. The band's members' ages range from early 20's to near 60, spanning several generations, thus the band's name.
Brian Elliott of Generation Gap.
Don Hughes of Generation Gap.
John Stevens of .00 Buck chimes in with some harmonica during Generation Gap's set.
.00 Buck (pronounced "double-ott buck" for those not versed in hunting terminology) continued the music with their old-time country and honky-tonk sounds.
John Stevens of .00 Buck.
Tim Kelly of .00 Buck.
A highlight of .00 Buck's performance was when the group invited a group of drum-playing youngsters up to the stage to provide stick-clicks during their rendition of Roger Miller's "King Of The Road."
Get Closer To The Music's Cathy Berg had a busy day as visitors registered for various door prizes.
Felix & the Hurricanes kick off their set during the Get Closer To The Music festival.
One of the day's biggest highlights happened during the Hurricanes' set. In between songs, Hurricanes singer/guitarist Felix Kos heard a youngster elsewhere in the room playing the licks of "Sweet Home Alabama" on a guitar. Felix immediately invited that youngster to step up to the stage, plugged him in, and allowed him to play guitar and experience the spotlight with the Hurricanes as they performed "Sweet Home Alabama."
Later on, the Hurricanes invited a bunch of young drummers up to the stage to bang away on the skins during "Wipe Out."
The "Wipe Out" drum party continues.
Altoona native and Nashville recording artist Ricky Lee joins the Hurricanes on a rendition of Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode."
Felix Kos and Ricky Lee.
Generation Gap hosted a jam session near the end of the day. Jeff Renner stands in to play guitar.
The jam session continues, with Don Hughes on keys, Jeff Renner on guitar, Lisa Fazenbaker behind the drum kit and Mike "Griff" Griffiths on bass.
A happy Professor, after winning some new bongos. To quote a Dire Straits lyric, I'll soon be "banging on the bongos like a chimpanzee" in no time!
This was a fun-filled day, as families and youngsters from throughout the area got to see and explore various musical instruments, with instructors and musicians present to show the youngsters how each instrument works and is played. Kids got to try out guitars, basses, keys, drums and more.
Throughout the day, there were musical performances from several area bands and musicians. Generation Gap kicked off the music with their blend of classic and current rock and roll. .00 Buck then performed their brand of old-time country and honky tonk music. Felix & the Hurricanes played their style of classic, southern rock and blues. And the day ended with a jam session hosted by Generation Gap. Several times during the day, youngsters were invited up to the stage to join the bands in making music. Nashville country recording artist Ricky Lee stopped in to make a cameo appearance, and got up and sang two songs with Felix & the Hurricanes. He also handed out free tickets to every youngster who wanted to attend his concert later that evening at the Jaffa Shrine.
It was a very good day. The turnout was excellent, and was the biggest attendance the Music Festival has seen thus far. Throughout the day, you could see the smiles on the faces of youngsters discovering and playing instruments. Lots of happy memories were made, and hopefully many of these youngsters discovered a new interest - music - that will develop into a life-long interest.
On behalf of Get Closer To The Music, thanks to everybody who came out and supported the event!
Here are some pictures from the Music Festival:
Instructor Tim Aungst shows a youngster how to play a bass guitar.
Instructor Lisa Fazenbaker teaches some young ladies how to play the drums.
Instructor Bill Hocherl coaches some more youngsters on how to play the drums.
Jeff Renner introduces a youngster to the world of guitar playing.
Don Hughes lets a youngster try his hand at the keys.
Generation Gap kicked off the music with their set of classic and current rock and roll. The band's members' ages range from early 20's to near 60, spanning several generations, thus the band's name.
Brian Elliott of Generation Gap.
Don Hughes of Generation Gap.
John Stevens of .00 Buck chimes in with some harmonica during Generation Gap's set.
.00 Buck (pronounced "double-ott buck" for those not versed in hunting terminology) continued the music with their old-time country and honky-tonk sounds.
John Stevens of .00 Buck.
Tim Kelly of .00 Buck.
A highlight of .00 Buck's performance was when the group invited a group of drum-playing youngsters up to the stage to provide stick-clicks during their rendition of Roger Miller's "King Of The Road."
Get Closer To The Music's Cathy Berg had a busy day as visitors registered for various door prizes.
Felix & the Hurricanes kick off their set during the Get Closer To The Music festival.
One of the day's biggest highlights happened during the Hurricanes' set. In between songs, Hurricanes singer/guitarist Felix Kos heard a youngster elsewhere in the room playing the licks of "Sweet Home Alabama" on a guitar. Felix immediately invited that youngster to step up to the stage, plugged him in, and allowed him to play guitar and experience the spotlight with the Hurricanes as they performed "Sweet Home Alabama."
Later on, the Hurricanes invited a bunch of young drummers up to the stage to bang away on the skins during "Wipe Out."
The "Wipe Out" drum party continues.
Altoona native and Nashville recording artist Ricky Lee joins the Hurricanes on a rendition of Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode."
Felix Kos and Ricky Lee.
Generation Gap hosted a jam session near the end of the day. Jeff Renner stands in to play guitar.
The jam session continues, with Don Hughes on keys, Jeff Renner on guitar, Lisa Fazenbaker behind the drum kit and Mike "Griff" Griffiths on bass.
A happy Professor, after winning some new bongos. To quote a Dire Straits lyric, I'll soon be "banging on the bongos like a chimpanzee" in no time!