Guitar Program Overview
Open to students ages 7 and up. No previous musical experience is required. Musical instrument instruction is available for beginning through advanced guitar.
It is the intention of FAITH Center that students who participate in our instrumental programs will develop a lifelong love for music and their craft, an appreciation and discernment for great music, and that through the disciplines of their study become the whole person that God created them to be.
Guitar Program Objectives:
1. Receive age appropriate instruction as to the skills required to play the guitar. These include: knowledge of the instrument, care and cleaning, tuning techniques, simple maintenance, posture, proper hand position, and finger techniques.
2. Receive instruction as to the fundamentals of music through the study of standard, tab, and chord notation, strumming and finger picking techniques, simple and advanced bar chords, scales and arpeggios, chord melody technique, scales and chords up the neck of the guitar, chord inversions and improvisation techniques.
3. Study the standard guitar solo and ensemble literature in order that they may have the experience of playing alone and with others, learn the concepts of musicality, phrasing, application of style, historical techniques and ideas of the composer.
4. Appreciate the value of positive critique through performance and discussion.
Guitar Program Classes:
Level 1: Designed for students with less than one year playing experience. Students participate in May Skill Day and the Arts Festival.
Level 2: Designed for students who have completed Level 1 on their instrument and have demonstrated the proficiency requirements to advance to Level 2. Students participate in January & May Skill Days and the Arts Festival.
Level 3: Designed for students who have completed level 2 on their instruments and demonstrated the proficiency requirement to advance to level 3. This level currently exists for string and guitar players only. Students participate in January & May Skill Days and the Arts Festival.
Advanced: Designed for students who have demonstrated the proficiency requirement for advanced study. Students participate in January and May Skill Days and the Arts Festival.
Guitar Program Class Requirements & Supplies:
- Instrument
- Case labeled with students name
- Sturdy Music Stand labeled with students name
- Good Practice Habits! All students must develop a daily practice routine. First-year players should practice 15-20 minutes per day, five days per week. All other instrumental students should practice a minimum of 30 minutes per day, five days per week. In addition, all students participating in a lesson class must enroll in guitar ensemble. In January and May, students must participate in a Skill Day evaluation at which time they will demonstrate their skills to FAITH Center faculty. Skill Day results are made available to students and their parents.
- Guitar lesson books as specified by the instructor. These are usually available through the FAITH Center store.
- Guitar Ensemble: In addition, all students participating in a guitar lesson class must enroll in an appropriate guitar ensemble.
- Skill Day Evaluations: In January and May, students must participate in a Skill Day evaluation at which time they will demonstrate their skills to FAITH Center faculty. Skill Day results are made available to students and their parents.
- Performances: As described in the levels above, students participate in the Arts Festival.
