Beginning Guitar
Are you interested in jamming to your favorite country or rock artist? How about some solos with Blues legends? Or would you like to accompany other musicians in your family? Join our group beginner guitar classes to learn how to play and learn about guitar history and styles. No experience is required! We’ll work on strumming patterns, fingerpicking, basic open chords, how to read tabs and music, how to tune your instrument, how to improvise and last but not least we will learn to play popular songs in different genres!
Students must provide their own instrument, if you are in need of a rental, we can assist in setting that up through SHAR Music.
- Ages: Adults and Youth 16+
- Spring sessions TBD
Onur Alakavuklar, Instructor
Dr. Onur Alakavuklar is a guitarist and music educator. Onur Alakavuklar holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Guitar Performance with a Jazz-emphasized minor in Music Education from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Onur has claimed prizes in chamber music competitions and has performed with The Atlanta Opera, Indiana University Philharmonic Orchestra, and various chamber music groups internationally. He has performed in Musical Theater bands, Jazz Bands and had solo recitals in Europe, Asia, and U.S.A.
Intermediate Guitar
Are you interested in playing more than open chords on guitar and strumming simple rhythms? Join our intermediate guitar class to improve your finesse on guitar techniques, learn more about guitar styles and history of the guitar in various genres. In this course, we will work on legendary guitar solos, how to internalize and play complex-compound rhythms, last but not least play as an ensemble.
Following the Beginner Guitar Class, we will learn power chords and how to move around the fretboard smoothly, learn the basic Major and Minor bar chord shapes and reading staff notation over the first position, improvising over the pentatonic scale and more!
Prerequisites: Basic knowledge of the fretboard and fundamental open chords (Am, C, G, D), common time signatures and tab reading.
- Ages: Adults and Youth 16+
- Price: $160
- Start Date: August 29th
- End Date: December 12th
- Thursdays 6:00-6:50 pm
Onur Alakavuklar, Instructor
Dr. Onur Alakavuklar is a guitarist and music educator. Onur Alakavuklar holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Guitar Performance with a Jazz-emphasized minor in Music Education from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Onur has claimed prizes in chamber music competitions and has performed with The Atlanta Opera, Indiana University Philharmonic Orchestra, and various chamber music groups internationally. He has performed in Musical Theater bands, Jazz Bands and had solo recitals in Europe, Asia, and U.S.A.
Ukulele Ensemble
We’ll work on strumming patterns, fingerpicking, basic open chords, how to read tabs and music, how to tune your instrument, how to improvise and last but not least we will learn to play popular songs in different genres! Students will be able to use CMS ukuleles during their class – no instrument required.
- Ages: Adults and Youth 16+
- Price: $160
- Start Date: August 29th
- End Date: December 12th
- Thursdays 5:00-5:50 pm
Onur Alakavuklar, Instructor
Dr. Onur Alakavuklar is a guitarist and music educator. Onur Alakavuklar holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Guitar Performance with a Jazz-emphasized minor in Music Education from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Onur has claimed prizes in chamber music competitions and has performed with The Atlanta Opera, Indiana University Philharmonic Orchestra, and various chamber music groups internationally. He has performed in Musical Theater bands, Jazz Bands and had solo recitals in Europe, Asia, and U.S.A.
Adult Strings
Have you always wanted to make your own music but have not had the time or the opportunity to learn an instrument until now? This class is for you. This will be a fun, non-threatening environment designed for students of all ages – the goal: to make beautiful music!
If you are brand new to your instrument, email CMS Director Jed Fritzemeier at jedf@jacksonsymphony.org to get started!
Students must provide their own instrument, if you are in need of a rental, we can assist in setting that up through SHAR Music.
- Ages: Adults and Youth 18+
- Price: $200
- Start Date: August 26th
- End Date: April 28th
- Mondays 5:30-6:30 pm
Jed Fritzemeier, Instructor
Since 2019, Jed has been the Director of the Community Music School and Director of Music Education for the Jackson Symphony Orchestra. A performing bassist, Jed plays with the orchestra in addition to free-lancing throughout the area. He was a public school orchestra teacher for 34 years finishing his career for the Chelsea School District, Chelsea, Mi. Jed was Teacher of the Year for the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association and the Michigan American String Teachers Association in 2008. In addition to the Jackson Symphony Orchestra, his performance credits include the Michigan Opera Theater, Toledo Symphony, Ann Arbor Symphony, Racine Symphony, Racine, Wisconsin, South Dakota Symphony, Sioux Falls, South Dakota and various festival orchestras, jazz ensembles, rock bands, polka bands since he was 15 years old.
Cork & Keys
A social evening learning a piano song! Participants will enjoy a beverage and light appetizers before learning to play a song from pop culture. No piano experience is necessary. Must be 21 years or older.
- Ages: 21+
- Price: $40
- Second Section: October 16th
- Third Section: November 13th
- Wednesdays 7:00-8:00 pm
Marie Vavro-Clise, Instructor
Marie Vavro-Clise has a Bachelor of Science in Music from the University of Michigan. She has performed with the Detroit Opera Theater as well as performed in several countries in Europe. She enjoys teaching voice and piano to children and adults of all musical abilities.