GIRLS ROCK CAMP
Camp week, held at Girard College in Philadelphia for girls ages 9 – 17, is an intensive and rewarding experience for both youth and adults who participate. Campers arrive on Monday and, following a lengthy ‘get to know you’ exercise, are assigned into bands by facilitators based on their ages, relative level of experience, common musical interests and selection of other girls with whom they’d like to perform. Campers then spend the next five days engaging in a range of activities, including:
- Daily instrument instruction in guitar, bass, drums, vocals, keyboards or DJing based on interest and skill level.
- Hour-long creative workshops focused on a host of topics such as: the history of women in music; sound recording and effects; identity and self-image; music promotion; self-defense; screenprinting and button making for band merchandise creation (to be sold at the final showcase); and others.
- Afternoon band practice where groups take the week to create a band name and at least one original song to be written, rehearsed and performed at the Saturday showcase.
- Morning and end-of-day assemblies to reinforce positive learning and support.
RECORD RELEASE PARTY
Each fall, Girls Rock Philly holds an all-ages CD Release Show to celebrate the recording and pressing of a compilation album featuring original music by camper bands. This event serves as a reunion for campers, families and volunteers, as well as providing an opportunity for campers to play any newly-created music and gain an audience. The show also allows Girls Rock Philly to remain visible and productive in what traditionally would be considered our off-season while allowing our volunteers more opportunities for mentorship.
LADIES ROCK CAMP
In the late winter or early spring, Girls Rock Philly holds Ladies Rock Camp, a smaller, truncated version of Girls Rock Camp for adult women who are curious about music-making but have not taken that first step yet into playing and networking with other musicians. This three-day weekend keeps a similar schedule to Girls Rock Camp and culminates with new bands performing original music at a public showcase in Philadelphia. Ladies Rock Camp additionally acts as Girls Rock Philly’s largest fundraiser, as every tuition payment for Ladies Rock Camp is deposited into our camper scholarship endowment fund, to cover the cost of providing scholarships at Girls Rock Camp later that year.
YEAR-ROUND PRACTICE SPACE, WORKSHOPS & LESSONS
In October 2010, Girls Rock Philly moved into our new headquarters in the Fishtown neighborhood of Philadelphia. This space includes our office as well as multiple practice rooms for campers and volunteers to use. Girls Rock Philly provides musical equipment, volunteer supervision of camper band practices, music lessons, and a new after-school space for girls to practice in. In the future, we will also hold monthly music-making sessions, workshops, and discussions to increase girls’ musical proficiency, their network of potential bandmates, and confidence-building life skills.
