What is it?
Girls Rock Philly is a girls-only week-long day camp, whose first session was held from August 6-11, 2007. The 20 campers ranged in age from 10 to 18 years old. Our next session is scheduled for August of 2008.

Girls Rock Camp started in 2000 in Portland, Oregon & different chapters have been cropping up independently across the country in places like Murfreesboro, TN (Southern Girls Rock N’ Roll Camp), New York (Willie Mae Rock Camp), and Chicago (Girls Rock Chicago), as well as in Canada. It’s not a franchise, though the Portland & New York ones are resisted campers & GRP is a member of the Girls Rock Camp Alliance.

How long will the camp run?
GRP will run from Monday to Friday, from 9am until 5pm or 5:30pm. The camp week will be followed by a showcase on Saturday evening that will be open to the public.

Where will the camp be?
Girls Rock Philly takes place at Girard College (2102 S. College Ave.) in Philadelphia. Girard College is a private boarding school for students, grades 1 through 12 & employs year-round campus security that works with Girls Rock Philly’s volunteers to ensure a safe environment for all campers.

What will the girls do all week?
After morning assembly, the girls go to instrument instruction. After lunch, they visit band practice & write a song together as a band for the showcase. In between practices, they attend various workshops, such as non-traditional instruments, history of women in music, sound & recording & band art, where they will make band t-shirts & buttons to wear (and sell!) at the showcase. Afternoon assemblies may include some special guest performers who play for the campers & take questions.

What instruments will the girls get to learn?
Girls will be asked for their top two instrument choices on their applications & will be assigned one for camp. Choices include guitar, bass, keyboards, drums or DJ’ing. Vocal instruction will also be available.

What if my camper wants to sing in her band but she’s learning bass?
Girls can take on any roles in their bands that they want. Each band has a volunteer acting band coach to guide them through the songwriting process, but it is up to the girls to choose their roles in their own band.

How are the bands formed?
On the first morning, girls will go through several activities that help them get to know each other, then will make a list of people they want in their band. They then head off to instrument practice & lunch while the camp directors match them up. This means that some bands may have 2 drummers, others may be only 2 drummers – all formations are welcome.

How much will GRP cost?
The standard fee for a GRP camper is $400, though GRP offers financial assistance & full scholarships.

Why hold GRP? Aren’t there enough rock camps/schools for kids in Philadelphia?
Seriously – there are a number of schools & camps dedicated to contemporary music. BUT, GRP has a couple of different angles. First, it’s all-women. The female-only environment is a rare one & one with a lot of benefits for campers & volunteers, including a high comfort level. Second, GRP gives the campers a chance to write their own songs in a band setting, letting them figure out what & how they want to play, how they work best & how to get along with other people cooperatively to achieve a final goal. They are in charge of their creative process from beginning to end & they will have complete ownership (including copyright!) of their songs, instead of just learning rock standards.

Any other questions?
Contact us!