The Total
Guitarist Camp: For Guitar and Bass Guitar
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"Jake enjoyed the classes, the theory, and the mini-concerts. It was clear to us that his playing had improved and that he was more confident in his ability".
-Parent of 2008 Guitar Camper
July 26- July 31, 2009
For guitar students entering grades 8-12 with some guitar experience.*
Registrations still accepted until July 20th, 2009
Daily Class Hours: 8:30 am - 3:20 pm
- Commuter Fee: $259 (includes instruction and camp t-shirt)
- Resident Fee: $559 (includes instruction, room and board, t-shirt, counselor supervision and evening activity transportation) The cost of evening activities will vary depending on the camper's choice. It is recommended that students bring $20-$30 in cash with them to camp.
If you have played guitar or bass for at least a year, and you want to become a great player, this Guitar Camp is for you! You will become familiar with many musical styles including jazz, classical, latin and rock. PLUS, you will learn from some of the best players and teachers in the Midwest. Register early, as this camp has been known to fill to capacity!
Nick Utrie is the camp's director. With a degree in Guitar performance with an emphasis in Jazz, Nick has a long list of gigs and connections in the ‘guitar world’. Nick will shape this camp's format and will sign on experienced guitar educators and performers, as well as regionally known guest artists, who will work with you throughout the week. This new format will inspire any student of the guitar to take their own playing to the next level.
New this Year! We are offering a group rate for both our Jazz on the Bay and Total Guitarist Camps. If four or more students from your school register, you will each receive a $50 discount on your registration. All you have to do is provide us with the names of the other students from your school in the notes section of your online registration, or if you are registering through the mail please attach a note with their names listed.
Guitar Faculty
Nick Utrie has a degree in Guitar Performance with an emphasis in Jazz Studies from UW-Stevens Point. Nick has been performing and promoting music in Green Bay since ’93 in mostly jazz and improvised projects. He is President of local non-profit organization - The Center for Artistic Collaboration and Performance which promotes creative music through public performance and in area schools. You can check out his website at www.greenbaymusic.com. Nick has performed at Valley Fair Live Shows, in local groups: Art of Duo (jazz), with James Kocian (pop) and his current group, Jet Set Radio - a fusion group that explores world music in an improvisational context. He has also recorded with Jeff Eckles on bass.
Christopher
Olson teaches at McNally Smith College of Music in Saint Paul, MN.
He leads courses in music theory, ear training, improvisation, and guitar,
as well as directing ensembles and teaching individual guitar lessons. He
has been on the faculty since 1996. Chris earned a master’s degree in
jazz studies/performance from the University of North Texas in 1995. He holds
bachelor’s degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in
jazz studies and music education/choral emphasis. He has been the guitar professor
at UW-Stevens Point, the Wausau Conservatory of Music, and Inver Hills Community
College, where he also taught music history and directed a jazz ensemble.
In addition, he taught courses in jazz history and improvisation, while directing
a jazz band at UW-Marathon County. Because of a busy schedule, Chris recently
had to leave MacPhail Center for Music in Minneapolis, where he taught guitar
lessons and jazz and rock combos. Chris has performed with such artists as
Bob Mintzer, Louis Bellson, Terry Gibbs, Ira Sullivan, and Bobby Vinton. He
has performed with dozens of artists locally, and has been featured as a solo
performer or guest artist at events such as the UWSP Jazz Festival and the
Minnesota Jazz Guitarathon. Chris is featured on the CD In the Meantime by
the quartet, Maintime, released this Spring. During the summer, Chris works
at the Shell Lake Arts Center in Shell Lake, Wisconsin. This is the oldest
running jazz camp in the world. Chris teaches during the jazz ensemble camp,
jazz combo camp, and the guitar camp, which he organized and initiated in
2006. He also teaches jazz and rock camps in Minnesota, including the McNally
Smith Summer Jazz Workshop. Recently, Chris had four articles published in
Guitarist, the newsletter of the Minnesota Guitar Society, and has published
a collection of original pieces, Contemporary Etudes for Acoustic Guitar (Really
Good Music, LLC). Chris also gave a guitar seminar at MacPhail in January
of 2006 and was a clinician at the UWSP Jazz Festival in February of 2006.
An honors graduate at both the graduate and undergraduate level, Chris is
a member of the International Association of Jazz Educators and The Twin Cities
Jazz and Guitar Societies. He is serving as guitar reference on the resource
team for the Minnesota chapter of IAJE. For more info, go to: www.knowtheneck.com
Dale
Anderson's almost forty years of playing includes the 60's Piper's
Sons, recording 'Past Present Future' in 1967 and Christian-Rock group, Hosanna,
1972-76, with 1974's album, 'In the Morning'. He then went on to concert promotion
with Bread/Harvest Productions, Green Bay, Madison, and Oshkosh, 1978-83, opening
up for such talents as Terry Talbot and Phil Keaggy; lead guitarist for The
Bar Bazaldua Band, 1992-93; and ten years of soloing, playing around the Midwest
and beyond. Check him out at www.myspace.com/thedeltajets www.myspace.com/thedeltajets.
Mike
Tahlier grew up in Green Bay, WI. He recently graduated with a Bachelors
Degree in Professional Music with an emphasis in Music Education from Berklee
College of Music. Mike has studied guitar for over 13 years concentrating on
improvisation, music theory, and playing styles from jazz, funk, to rock and
blues. Recently Mike has moved to Chicago, Il. where he will continue his education
for a Masters Degree in Music Education. During his time in Boston, he had the
great pleasure of playing and studying with Hal Crook, Ed Tomassi, Jon Damian,
Jon Finn and others. Through this learning experience he has developed a wide
range of teaching styles and has worked hard to become the best player and innovator
he can be. His ambitions are very simple; to teach in the College level and
to play regularly with great musicians that appreciate the art of improvisation
and communication among other players.
Victoria
Vox, armed with a degree in Songwriting from the Berklee College of
music, Victoria Vox has been a full time touring troubadour since May 2003,
performing 150+ shows a year. She founded her own record label, OBUS Music in
2004 and has self released 6 albums, incorporating her songs on both guitar
and the ukulele. Her award winning songs have been heard on NPR and A&E. Check out this amazing artist: www.victoriavox.com or www.myspace.com/victoriavox. Students love studying with Victoria...you will too!
Tom Harter been playing both acoustic and electric guitar for over 30 years. 
Through early years of lessons and self-education based in blues, classic rock, fusion, and progressive rock he has become a jack-of-many-guitar-trades. In the 90's he performed original jazz-rock with his band Morpheus, played lead guitar in The B. B. Shine Blues Band, and completed an all original acoustic CD. Since then he has expanded to recording and producing not only his own music but that of other local artists. In 2003 he completed his second all original CD while finishing editing/production of the CD "Etchings" for local metal-core band Disinformation Machine with whom he has also performed. A year later found him fronting his own power trio Winona's Handbag (featuring songs of Jimi Hendrix, Cream, The Who, and others) while also playing lead guitar for the full-band version of local favorites Voices of Eve. Most recently he won the 2007 Guitar Center King of the Blues competition in Appleton while continuing to write and record original songs.
Special Features
- Evening concerts and jam sessions: Students have the opportunity to play with faculty and special guests.
- Final Concert: The week ends with a free public concert at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, July 31, in University Theatre, Theatre Hall Building.
- NEW this year! Expand your musical experience by mixing with the Jazz on the Bay campers for the last hour of the day. A set 7th hour classes will combine the musical talents from both camps to create combos with rhythm sections, themed combos including rock, jazz, blues, folk; songwriting for instrumentalists and singers, to name a few.
Schedule
All auditions will be held on Sunday afternoon, July 26, from 1:00-4:00 p.m. in the Studio Arts Building. Auditions will be administered by the Guitar Camp faculty and will include sight-reading, a short theory test, and a short prepared solo.
Daily Schedule: M-F
8:30-9:30 a.m.—Theory 1 (Harmony/Rhythm, Chords, application to style)
9:30-10:30 a.m.— Small Group 1
10:30-11:30— Theory 2 (Melodies, scales and application to style)
11:30-12:30 LUNCH
12:30 –1:15 p.m.— Guitar Café: Faculty/Guest Demonstrations
1:30-2:30 p.m— Masterclass—Breakouts
2:30-3:30 p.m.—Small Groups/reh/jam
Please note: Students will bring all needed playing equipment to camp, including electric guitars with amps.
Eligibility
Students entering grades 8–12 in the fall are eligible to apply. All registrants must be recommended by a parent or guardian and a school music director or private teacher. Their signatures must appear on the application form in order for the student to be considered. Signatures are not required for online registrations. Please note: at least one year of guitar experience is required. See you at camp!