Las Vegas Academy

2-Day Summer Guitar Festival

June 16 & 17, 2010

Corey Christiansen-Jazz Guitarist, Composer, Recording Artist, Teacher

 Corey Christiansen grew up in a musical family. His father, Mike Christiansen, has run the guitar program at Utah State University for over three decades. After high school, Corey received his bachelor’s degree from USU. A year later Corey left for Tampa Florida to study with legendary jazz guitar educator, Jack Petersen. In 1999, Corey received his master’s degree from the University of South Florida and took over the teaching duties of Jack Petersen the next year.  From 2000 to 2007 Corey was the senior editor and main guitar clinician for Mel Bay Publications. For seven years Corey gave countless clinics and performances around the world and developed a fan base not only for his teaching but his playing. In the Fall of 2008 Corey assumed duties teaching full-time at Utah State University and will part-time at Indiana University where he is pioneering the jazz guitar program. Even with a busy academic schedule, Corey still tours and continues to record. Corey Christiansen has a number of publications with Mel Bay and has conducted countless guitar clinics and concerts across the country and beyond including Europe, South Africa and Australia.

Raymond Williams-Classical Guitarist, Composer, Recording Artist, Competition Winner

 Upon giving heralded debuts in Carnegie Recital Hall and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., Williams went on to win top prizes two international classical guitar competitions. By the early eighties, he had become one of the most active solo recitalists in the United States. After taking a seven year hiatus from performing to explore the business of music, Williams' comeback marked him as both a composer and performer, this time embracing the steel-string guitar as well as the classical. In addition to writing numerous pieces for guitar, he has been commissioned to write music under the auspicies of the Nevada Symphony Orchestra.After moving to Las Vegas in 1993, Williams  the position of Coordinator of Guitar Studies at the University of Las Vegas. Since that time, he has produced and recorded four cd’s of his own music.

Mel Hallam-Classical Guitarist, Author, Teacher

Mel Hallam is author and producer of the four-volume series of DVD’s and books entitled, How to Develop Tremendous Technique for the Guitar.  Mel began his classical guitar studies in his teens with Katherine Manning and later Anisa Angarola, founding member of the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet.  Hallam studied with Celin Romero and received his Bachelor of Music degree from San Diego State University and later received his Master’s degree in Guitar Performance from the University of California.  For eight years, Hallam ran the guitar program at College of the Desert in Palm Desert, California.  Hallam has taught classical guitar privately for over thirty years.

Wednesday, June 16

9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Warm up & Skill Techniques

Teacher Mel Hallam

10:45-12:15

TBA

Teacher: Corey Christiansen

12:30-1:30 Lunch provided

1:30 p.m. - 2:15 p.m.

TBA

Teacher: Ray Williams

2:30-4:00

TBA

Teacher: TBA

7:00 - 8:15 p.m. Concert by Corey Christiansen 

Thursday, June 17

9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Warm up & Skill Techniques

Teacher Mel Hallam

10:45-12:15

TBA

Teacher: Corey Christiansen

12:30-1:30 Lunch provided

1:30 p.m. - 2:15 p.m.

TBA

Teacher: Ray Williams

2:30-4:00

TBA

Teacher: TBA

Tuition for both days including 8 workshops, an evening concert by Corey Christiansen and lunch each day is only $95.

Make checks payable to:  LVA Guitar Club

Please send payment to: Las Vegas Academy

                                                Att: Bill Swick

                                                315 S. 7th St.

                                                Las Vegas, NV 89101

This special summer guitar workshop is limited to 32 participants!

Concert tickets are available separately for $10 each.

The workshops will be held in the Las Vegas Academy Performing Arts Center on the second floor in room A-20 in the Yamaha Silent Guitar Lab.  Participants do not need to bring an instrument.