Andrew Dornoff of The Outer Vibe instructs Rock Camp student Gavin Jager, 14, on guitar Monday at the MSU Community Music School located at 841 Timberlane Street in East Lansing. Jager and his peers rehearse Revolution, a song by The Beatles, for their Friday performance at the Common Ground Music Festival in Lansing. Mackenzie Mohr/The State News
—Rock Camp, a week-long summer program for students ages 12-19, began Monday and will conclude with a performance at the Common Ground Music Festival in Lansing on Friday at 5:30 p.m.
Presented by the MSU Community Music School, the camp focuses on letting students be part of a rock band and teaching them facts about stage presence, marketing and other related fields.
Back for their second year, Grand Rapids resident Christopher Kelley, 14, and Okemos resident Aaron Dunn, 15, said playing with other musicians in a band is what made them return.
“I’ve learned a lot,” Dunn said. “The last time I was here I played two songs that I’ve never learned, so it was a good experience.”
Kelley said the program is fun, and he enjoys making friends along with making music. He’s not nervous about playing at Common Ground.
Dunn said anyone should sign up for the program, even if they don’t think they have enough experience.
“You will be good enough because there are all different musicians here — some that are better than others, and some that are just learning,” he said.
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