GPMA is now offering a class for guitarists of all ages and skill level known as
the “Guitar Ensemble.” This group will perform at least twice each year at the
recitals and will also be given the opportunity to record as a group with the intent of
performing in public for other special events, concerts, and music competitions.
Instructor Levi Henson is a passionate teacher who is very excited to direct this new
ensemble. He recently received his B.M in Jazz Studies from Wayne State University,
plays in one of Michigan’s premier jazz swing bands, the Rhythm Society Orchestra,
has been first chair in numerous jazz and classical guitar ensembles, and composes
and arranges music in many styles. If you are currently enrolled in private lessons,
but not in an ensemble where you are learning to sight-read music in a group, you
are missing out on a huge part of music instruction! We are encouraging all
guitarists to learn how to read music in a group setting because the experience is
something that cannot be captured through private lessons, and is the most effective
way to learn how to read music. Just because you may have read music as a vocalist
or on another instrument, learning to read music on the guitar is not the same, and
has its own unique challenges. Guitar ensembles are rarely offered at local music
schools, and we are thrilled to bring this opportunity to guitarists right here in
Grosse Pointe! The GPMA Guitar Ensemble is an opportunity of a lifetime for
guitarists because most public and private schools with music programs do not
teach guitarists how to read music, so guitar players never have the chance, like
orchestral instrumentalists, to learn how to read music in a performing group!
Students who read music in an ensemble are more likely to pursue music as a
professional, and learning to read is not only fun, but also makes connections in the
brain that have proven to develop spatial IQ, leading to higher test scores in subjects
such as math and language. The guitar is one of the most valued and played
instruments in our current music scene, as it is used in virtually all styles of music,
yet very few guitarists are taught the necessary skills, including sight-reading, that
will allow them to perform. This group is unique because Instructor Levi Henson
ensures quality instruction for all ensemble members by assessing each individual
and then writing original arrangements specifically for the ensemble based on each
individual’s skill level! If you want to be a part of something special and take your
playing to new heights, join the GPMA Guitar Ensemble to begin performing soon!
This 90 minute class is an excellent value at only 100 per month. Classes meet weekly.
Call us today for more information or to sign up!
313.458.7723
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