Anne Heaton

Anne Heaton

Photo: Barry Brecheisen/WireImage

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GRAMMY Camp—Weekend Brings Music Career Training To Pittsburgh

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Local students to receive reliable guidance on how their dedication and talent can turn into a livelihood in the music industry
Philip Merrill
GRAMMYs
Oct 23, 2018 - 5:48 pm

On Saturday, Nov. 10, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Penn., a special weekend program of GRAMMY Camp—Weekend will take students in-depth along three career tracks: audio engineering, songwriting and video production. The program will be presented in partnership between the GRAMMY Museum and Phase 4 Learning Center, which has been a model alternative education program for more than 14 years..

The experience will include instruction and networking, and training in specific career tracks, as well as collaborative instruction showing how the various pieces of the music industry puzzle fit together. Participating students will explore career strategies that can turn their passion and talent for music into a livelihood.

Professionals participating in the all-day event promise to deliver straight talk and reliable guidance about how high school students can make progress toward careers in the music industry. Participants will hear from working music industry pros including songwriters, producers and visual artists.

Independent filmmaker Michelle Ehlen has unique takes on society and comedy, and she has proved how writing, directing, acting and more can all exist in one determined talent. Similarly, singer/songwriter Anne Heaton earned her reputation as a folk singer/songwriter even before her 2003 album Black Notebook by making strong musical choices. Now many albums later, she is an honest voice, expert pianist and experienced instructor, conveying her art to the next generation face-to-face and online. Both women will be on-hand to share their expertise and experience with campers.

Michael "Smidi" Smith will also provide guidance to help students find their way into a career in music. As a composer, producer, engineer, Emmy winner, and assistant professor at the USC Thornton School of Music in music technology, Smidi knows how to be hands-on to produce a final recording. He demonstrates personally — as the life histories of his fellow professional participants exemplify — obstacles can be successfully overcome by ensuring skill and talent work together.

This weekend edition is joined in spirit with the five-day immersive GRAMMY Camp held by the GRAMMY Museum from July 23 through July 27 in Los Angeles, for which applications are now open. The community of music creators show that musical livelihoods can be achieved by talented, dedicated commitment regardless of personal backgrounds or setbacks. The opportunities are there for the next generation.

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Anne Heaton

Anne Heaton, GRAMMY Camp instructor

Photo: Evan Richman/The Boston Globe/Getty Images

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GRAMMY Camp—Weekend's Music Career Training Coming To Ft. Lauderdale

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Local Florida students will receive specialized guidance to help turn their dedication and talent into music industry careers
Philip Merrill
GRAMMYs
Nov 2, 2018 - 5:08 pm

A special GRAMMY Camp—Weekend will be held in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., on Saturday, Dec. 1, offering students from the area in-depth advice and instruction for three career tracks: electronic music production, video production and vocal performance. A career-minded introduction to the music industry, the program is conducted in partnership between the GRAMMY Museum and HANDY, the Broward County youth development organization helping more than 1,200 local-area kids annually with the transition to becoming self-sufficient and educated adults.

The day's program begins with all the students together before they divide into the three dedicated tracks to work with GRAMMY Camp's guest professionals, who blend straight talk and reliable advice to show these high school students how they too can make progress for their own careers.

A collaborative session including everybody then shows how the different pieces of the music industry puzzle fit together, with an emphasis on how students can maximize their own potential to fit into the industry ecosystem. Students will explore career strategies they can use to turn their passion and talent for music into livelihoods.

The professionals participating in the all-day event are each exemplars of their respective crafts. The electronic music production track is led by Rick Schmunk, chair of USC Thornton School of Music's music technology program, where he is an associate professor. Besides his published research Schmunk has assisted many online to express themselves creatively with production software such as Ableton.

The video production track will be led by independent filmmaker Michelle Ehlen who proves that writing, directing, acting and more can all exist in one capable professional. Her unique comedy takes on society satirize and warp gender conventions, while she also is in-demand producing, directing and editing many projects.

The vocal performance track is led by folk singer/songwriter Anne Heaton, an honest voice and expert pianist. Many albums followed her impressive 2003 debut Black Notebook and her taste in strong musical choices has always stood out. As an instructor, Heaton's guidance has uniquely enriched the next generation both face-to-face and online.

This weekend edition is affiliated with the five-day immersive GRAMMY Camp held by the GRAMMY Museum from July 23 through July 27 in Los Angeles, for which applications are now open. The community of music creators show that careers in the music industry can be established when talent and dedication come together. GRAMMY Camp programs are unique mentoring experiences, helping the next generation of music industry professionals to grow.

GRAMMY Camp—Weekend Brings Music Career Training To Pittsburgh

2017 GRAMMY Camp Los Angeles

2017 GRAMMY Camp students

Photo: Brandon Williams/Getty Images

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Talented High Schoolers Chosen For 2018 GRAMMY Camp Los Angeles

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This summer in Los Angeles, these 88 camp attendees will be immersed in the recording industry their sights are set on
Philip Merrill
GRAMMYs
May 18, 2018 - 5:27 pm

Coming from 24 states around the country, the 88 high school student selectees for 2018 GRAMMY Camp Los Angeles were announced by the GRAMMY Museum on May 18. This year is the 14th annual GRAMMY Camp event and will be held from July 17–21 in Los Angeles, centered at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music.

The program organizes its talented, non-residential campers into tracks based on individual interests. These are Audio Engineering, Electronic Music Production, Music Business, Music Journalism, Performance — Instrumental, Performance — Vocal, Songwriting, and Video Production & Motion Graphics.

"GRAMMY Camp is one of the most immersive summer camps for high school students interested in a career in music," said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of the Recording Academy and Chair of the GRAMMY Museum Board. "The program gives young people the opportunity to study with music industry professionals — including some GRAMMY-winning creators — and to collaborate with their peers, resulting in a genuine learning experience about life in the music industry."

This year's GRAMMY Camp Los Angeles is a GRAMMY in the Schools program presented by the Hot Topic Foundation with program support provided by the Bruno Mars Scholarship Fund, the Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Fund, and the Recording Academy.

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GRAMMY Camp Jazz Session

GRAMMY Camp—Jazz Session

Photo: Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images

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GRAMMY In The Schools Live! Presents Alumni Performers For GRAMMY Week

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Alumni from the GRAMMY Museum's many music education programs will perform at the special event on Feb. 7
Philip Merrill
GRAMMYs
Jan 28, 2019 - 1:58 pm

The GRAMMY Museum and Ford Motor Company Fund have announced the tenth annual GRAMMY In The Schools Live!—A Celebration of Music & Education. The GRAMMY Week event will take place on Feb. 7 at The Montalbán in Los Angeles.

GRAMMY Museum Foundation's music educational programs, which Ford helps support, include GRAMMY Camp, the GRAMMY Museum Summer Session, GRAMMY Career Day, and the Music Educator Award. Alumni of these varied music industry education programs will take the stage to perform at the special event.

The still-to-be-announced recipient of the 2019 Music Educator Award will attend the festive evening, along with Ford Motor Company Fund Director of Community Development Pamela Alexander, Recording Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow, and GRAMMY Museum Executive Director Mchael Sticka.

GRAMMY Camp brings together talented high school students who are passionate about music from across the country, with eight educational tracks including instrumental performance, vocal performance, audio engineering, music journalism and more. The passion these young students bring to their performances is electrifying, suggesting more great things ahead. One GRAMMY Camp alumni, Maren Morris, is now a GRAMMY-winner, and is currently up for more wins this year, including for her feature on Zedd's "The Middle." 

Additionally, the GRAMMY Museum Summer Session matches young songwriters with industry professionals to help newcomers get a leg up on their own careers in the music business. 

The application deadline for this summer's GRAMMY Camp in Los Angeles is March 31. The deadline to submit nominations for the 2020 Music Educator Award is March 15.

Tickets are available for GRAMMY In The Schools Live! at The Montalbán's website. GRAMMY Week culminates with the 61st GRAMMY Awards on Sun. Feb. 10 on CBS.

GRAMMY Jazz Band Plays Duke Ellington, Count Basie & More | 2018 GRAMMY Week

GRAMMY Museum

GRAMMY Museum

Photo: Ted Soqui/Corbis/Getty Images

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GRAMMY Museum Signature Schools Announced In L.A. County

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Four worthy local programs will receive cash grants totaling $90,000 over the next three years
Philip Merrill
GRAMMYs
Oct 16, 2018 - 2:29 pm

On Oct. 16 the GRAMMY Museum announced four Los Angeles County public high schools have been selected to receive cash grants totaling $90,000 thanks to the GRAMMY Museum Signature Schools program, a GRAMMY In The Schools initiative, and the philanthropy of The Chuck Lorre Family Foundation.

The recipients are Blair High School in Pasadena, Glendale High School, John Marshall High School in the Los Feliz area of Los Angeles, and Norwalk High School. The cash awards will be distributed over a three-year period. Additionally, each school will receive a custom award for display and recognition by the GRAMMY Museum.

"Every year is a struggle to keep the train on the track," said educator Amy Rangel of her program at Glendale High School Music several years ago, describing the community effort, financial help and ongoing struggles that come together while traditional school funding also does all it can. One high point for her was when her kids performed with donors Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. "All those guys in the band started in their school band program," she said. "That's where the seed was planted."

Both at home in L.A. Live and through its many outreach programs, the GRAMMY Museum and its generous partner organizations also do all they can to support the artists of tomorrow who are still kids today — as well as supporting the social and psychological benefits that music education promotes.

In the big finale for the movie Grease, Signature School John Marshall H.S. had a starring role as the make-believe Rydell H.S. But for the children attending this year's Signature Schools, their music programs are an ongoing celebration which is only the beginning.

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