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Rock band camp fosters next generation of Kelowna musicians

Rockin’ in the Sun Bandcamp fosters kids’ creativity
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Alisa ‘Ali’ Anderson and Conroy Ross photo-contributed

Two local virtuoso’s are looking to inspire the next generation of Kelowna’s musicians.

Alisa ‘Ali’ Anderson and Conroy Ross have combined their experience from perusing their own music professionally as well as their teaching abilities to make the second annual Rockin’ in the Sun Bandcamp even better.

“It (the end of camp performances last year) made me tear up a little. For the performance last year my husband was doing sound and I was watching for the most part. I took a step back and was rocking out behind the audience crying a little bit,” said Anderson.

“To see well-performed songs and seeing them succeed, that is why I teach and do the band camp. I get to see their growth.”

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Last year Anderson and her husband, Darrell, who cut his teeth in Kelowna’s music scene as bassist for The Pickups, has passed the torch to Pickups mate Ross, and the duo have already secured a bigger venue, DunnEnzies Pizza Co. Upper Mission, donated without cost by the owners. The team said the donation of a space has allowed them to open the camp up to the public instead of just to their students.

“There is nothing like this in the Okanagan,” said Ross.

“It’s so rewarding for the kids. They work so hard on their instruments and keeping them engaged in the summertime, and that momentum up from working on it in the wintertime is important. It’s that little extra practice.”

Students will be arranged into bands and will work together on popular songs by musicians such as Imagine Dragons and Billie Eilish, technical tips, how to wind cables and learn how to properly rehearse songs.

“We will teach them about transitions in the songs, highlight them and help them break it down,” said Anderson.

“They will run the song once then break it down, find the pieces that don’t work and look again. Then they will perform it for the parents on a Friday and they can have a nice meal.”

The camp is not for beginners and for children age 10-15. For enrollment e-mail rockininthesunbandcamps@gmail.com

The camp will run the weeks of June 8 until Aug. 23.

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@sydneyrmorton
sydney.morton@kelownacapnews.com

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