MUSIC IN SCHOOLS

The bluegrass group Bearfoot was serving up something special to Lakeview Elementary fifth- and sixth-graders before lunch Wednesday: a nice helping of breakneck bluegrass standards, originals and even a side of music education...This is the most engaged my sixth-graders have been in a long time," said Lakeview music teacher Elin Mayo, as the song rose high into the gym's ceiling.
Gillette News Record: Planting Bluegrass Seeds by Michael DiBiasio February 9, 2011

 

During the school year, Bearfoot is teaching the nation's youth about Bluegrass and American Roots music through assembly-style, interactive, performance-based workshops.   Working with students of any grade level, the band excels at tailoring the content of their workshops to the specific needs of the students.

Teaching music has always been an integral part of Bearfoot’s career.  Their first tours outside of Alaska were built around teaching what came to be called "Bearfoot Bluegrass Camps for Kids."  Over the eleven-year span from 2000-2011, the band put on over 60, three to four day kids camps across the United States, including kids camps for prestigious festivals such as the Telluride Bluegrass Festival and Rockygrass in Colorado.  Former band member Kate Hamre keeps the camps going on her own now and when the scheduling works out, she still recruits the members of Bearfoot to teach with her.  Check out her website here.

Bearfoot is excited to have two new members who are certified educators: bass player P. J. George has a degree in Music Education from Radford University in Virginia and lead singer & guitar player Nora Jane Struthers has a degree in Secondary English Education from New York University.  Coupled with Angela Oudean, Jason Norris, and Todd Grebe’s extensive background working with youth in bluegrass music kids camps, this group of musicians brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to communities around the country.
Their recent trip to Gillette, WY proved to be a great success.  In just two days, Bearfoot’s total residency impact was 674 student and 38 teachers. 

Read Full Article Gillette News Record: Planting Bluegrass Seeds by Michael DiBiasio, February 9, 2011 

INFORMATION

Bearfoot's Music in the Schools Bio

Bearfoot's Music lesson plan

Bearfoot Teaching Experience

Music in the Schools pic

 

MORE REVIEWS

We were very thrilled to bring Bearfoot in for two days worth of residency at our schools.  They worked with students from kindergarten through sixth grade; I thought Bearfoot was really amazing the way that they could adapt what they're doing so that the children of different age levels were able to understand and relate to what they were teaching.
— Rachel Callenberg ,The Arts Education facilitator at The Camplex Heritage Center in Gillette, WY
Our students were thoroughly engaged for the whole assembly
— Ellen Mayo, Music Teacher at Lakeview Elementary in Gillette, WY
They did a fantastic job of presenting culture to the kids!
— Kyle Jewicki, Physical Educaiton Teacher at Lakeview Elementary in Gillette, WY
It was a learning experience as well as incredibly engaging for all our students.
— Emily Stanley, Art Teacher at Lakeview Elementary in Gillette, WY

 

 

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