DAVENPORT, IOWA (March 9, 2020) — The River Music Experience is expanding their summer music camp, Kidstock, to include a new session focused on funk music and making all classes more affordable for participants.
Each week-long session of Kidstock gives students ages 8-18 the opportunity to learn from professional musicians, form a band with fellow campers, and finish the camp with a performance in the Redstone Room for all their friends and family.
Kidstock helps students learn valuable life lessons that stretch far beyond the stage, including the importance of teamwork, compromise, determination — and a lifelong boost to their confidence.
Students learn about a wide variety of genres in the normal Kidstock sessions, but this year RME is adding one dedicated to teaching students about the Funk genre.
"Funk music is really important," Bret Dale, RME's Education Director, said, "so much of it involves understanding the importance of space between the notes. Along with learning about the history of funk and its roots."
"For young musicians, learning about funk will add more dynamic rhythm to their playing and will help them take a leap in their musical ability," Dale said.
Students meet from 12-5PM each day during the session, and the final concert will be held that Friday night. Registration is now available for three sessions this summer, two traditional sessions, and one session focused on funk.
Kidstock sessions used to run for two weeks, but after feedback from participants and instructors, it's been decided that offering more sessions for only one week will improve the quality of the camp.
"Students would come back after the first weekend, and we'd have to spend two or three days catching them back up to where they were on Friday," Dale said.
"Our other seasonal camp, The Ellis Kell Winter Blues Camp, operates on this one week model and has been very successful," Dale said, "This also allows us to cut the cost of the camp by more than half to make sure more students can participate."
Registration for Kidstock is open now and all sessions cost $200. Regular Kidstock sessions will take place June 15-19 & July 13-17, Kidstock Funk will take place Jnue 22-26. Each session will meet each day and practice at the River Music Experience in downtown Davenport.
Kidstock is supported by HAVlife, Mediacom, and the Terry Lunardi Foundation at the Quad City Community Foundation.
For more information about the River Music Experience and Kidstock, visit rivermusicexperience.org/kidstock.
About River Music Experience
River Music Experience is a nonprofit dedicated to transforming lives in the Quad Cities by providing opportunities to listen, learn, and play music.
