July 7, 2020 – When the music industry thinks of the Founder and Managing General Partner of PRS Guitars, Paul Reed Smith, they think of a meticulous, creative luthier whose 35-year-old company has built its reputation on master craftsmanship and innovation. To deliver on that expectation, Paul and the team at PRS spend countless hours on each and every model making sure that every PRS instrument is ready to do its job whether that’s on a stage, in a studio, or kicking back at home. There is however another side to Paul that is not widely known: Paul is passionate about teaching and mentoring.
For decades, Paul, an accomplished guitarist whose band, the PRS Band, has appeared on stages across the globe, has been teaching guitar and music students. He also has taught at numerous Maryland Middle and High Schools through his School Teaching Events, which revolves around music and positive life planning.
Last year, Paul teamed up with the prestigious Maryland Hall and several world-class musicians to offer a week-long Musician’s Clinic that culminated in an exciting Teacher/Student Concert.
This year, Maryland Hall and Paul want to open up the program and offer the courses in a virtual setting allowing for a broader audience and safe learning environment. Paul and several distinguished musicians, including legendary drummer Dennis Chambers, YouTube guitar teaching experts Tim Pierce and Tyler Larson, Session directors Gary Grainger (groove & bass) and Greg Grainger (groove & drums), known worldwide as “The Grainger Brothers” as well as some of Maryland’s best musicians, including Michael Ault (guitar), Bryan Ewald (guitar), Benjie Porecki (keys), Mia Samone (vocals), and Bill Nelson (guitar) will be giving clinics and offering instruction. The four-day Virtual Program will take place August 10-13, 2020, and is open to musicians and enthusiasts of all ages around the world.
The School’s theme is “Understanding Harmony, Melody, and Rhythm to Make You a Better Musician.” All sessions will be taught via live video stream and will include extensive interactive portions for students of all skill sets, ages, and instruments to engage with their teachers. Through a Master Class online environment, all attendees will be given real ways to view and experience music and improve their playing abilities. Master classes will include how to groove, beginner to advanced guitar, keyboards, vocals, drums, and bass.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for musicians to learn directly from these amazing teachers. Imagine learning how to groove from Dennis Chambers, or improving your technique with Tyler and Tim. That kind of input can help skyrocket your playing,” says Paul Reed Smith.
Details:
What: Maryland Hall & Paul Reed Smith Present 2nd Annual Music School for Aspiring Musicians – Online this year
When: Monday, August 10 through Thursday, August 13, Daily from 11 am – 4:30 pm (US Eastern Standard Time)
Where: Online. The event will be livestreamed on marylandhallmusicschool.com/live. Registrants will receive the link and password in a confirmation email upon registration.
Tuition: $100/person for all 4 days of all Master classes
How: For more information, visit MarylandHall.org/prs. Scholarships are available for Maryland based students through a grant from the Annapolis Musicians Fund for Musicians’ (AMFM) David Glaser Education Fund. For Scholarship information, contact the Maryland Hall Education Department at lmills@marylandhall.org.
To register, visit: Maryland Hall: https://marylandhall.org/prs
About the Session Directors & Guest Teachers:
Paul Reed Smith – Session Director
Smith is an internationally known guitar maker, musician and guitar player. In addition to performing and recording with his own band, Paul has played with artists such as Vertical Horizon, Creed and Santana. He was honored by Vintage Guitar Magazine as a Hall of Fame inductee 2011 and was named Maryland’s Small Business Owner Person of the Year in 2002.
Dennis Chambers – Guest Teacher
Chambers is an American drummer who has recorded and performed with John Scofield, George Duke, Brecker Brothers, Santana, Parliament/Funkadelic, John McLaughlin, Niacin, Mike Stern, CAB, Greg Howe, and many others. He was inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 2001. Despite a lack of formal training, Chambers has become famous among drummers for his special techniques and speed. Chambers is particularly regarded for his ability to play “in the pocket.” He has helped many young drummers, the most prominent being Tony Royster, Jr. Chambers began drumming at the age of four years, and was gigging in Baltimore-area nightclubs by the age of six.
Tim Pierce – Guest Teacher
Tim Pierce is an American Session Guitarist who was named as one of the Top 10 Session Guitarists by Guitar World Magazine. Over 230K subscribers follow his guitar lessons on YouTube. His Session Guitar Work can be heard on more than 1000 records and his studio Guitar Recording Credits include: Crowded House, Christina Aguilera, Seal, Avril Lavigne, Tracy Chapman, Joe Cocker, Ricky Martin, Meat Loaf, Rod Stewart, Elton John, Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Rob Thomas, Rick Springfield, Phil Collins, Madonna, Toy Matinee, Don Henley, Santana, Rascal Flatts, Chris Isaak, Jewel, Faith Hill, Celine Dion, Dave Matthews Band, John Legend, Gavin Degraw, Mika, Carolina Liar, Goo Goo Dolls, Uncle Kracker, Josh Groban, Mylie Cyrus, Demi Lovato, David Cook, Adam Lambert, Daniel Powter, Kris Allen, Jack’s Mannequin, The Band Perry, Shinedown, Jason Mraz, Kelly Clarkson, Il Volo, Lana Del Ray, Gloriana, Colbie Caillat, and many others.
Tyler Larson – Guest Teacher
Tyler Larson is a musician of many influences. With over fifteen years’ experience playing the guitar, he’s appeared on several studio albums, performed with many diverse artists, and studied with some of the most renowned guitarists on the planet, including Tomo Fujita, Joe Stump, Dave Fiuczynski, Dave Tronzo, and others. After earning a B.M. Degree from the legendary Berklee College of Music, he began his career as a professional musician. In 2015, Larson founded Music is Win, which has carved out a deep niche in the music scene, with its videos amassing over 200,000,000 views to date and 1.04M subscribers on YouTube. Larson is also the creator of the extremely popular Guitar Super System, which has enrolled tens of thousands of guitar players to date. Larson has received endorsements from PRS Guitars, Universal Audio, Victory Amps, Adam Audio, and many other esteemed companies. He’s been featured in various online and print publications, including Guitar World, Guitar Player Magazine, Ultimate-Guitar, InTune Magazine, and more.
Gary Grainger – Session Director
Gary Grainger’s seamless approach to virtually any style of music makes him one of the most sought after bass players in the world. He has performed and done thousands of recordings, tours and TV appearances with such notable artists as John Scofield, Dennis Chambers, Nancy Wilson, Nelson Rangel, George Duke, Maysa, Ken Navaro, Acoustic Alchemy, Eric Marienthal and Bill Evans.
Greg Grainger – Session Director
A skilled architect of rhythm, Greg Grainger is surprisingly fresh in his artistry and musical perspective. Upon hearing him, it is easy to see why Whitney Houston signed him for her 1988 world tour, why Britain’s Rhythm Magazine called his work “solid and tasteful” dubbing him a “rhythm master” and why he is the drummer for international jazz artists such as Acoustic Alchemy and Kim Waters. Along with being a highly skilled drummer and teacher, he was the Musical Director for Maysa (the voice of Incognito’s Deep Waters and A Shade of Blue). In addition, at the age of 14, Greg was awarded a scholarship to the highly respected Peabody Conservatory of Music at Johns Hopkins University.
About PRS Guitars:
Paul Reed Smith Guitars is a leading manufacturer of high-quality instruments in Stevensville, Maryland and has provided some of the world’s most renowned musicians with instruments since 1985. The PRS team of highly skilled craftspeople design and build a wide variety of musical instruments and gear for worldwide distribution, including electric, acoustic, and bass guitars as well as boutique-style guitar amplifiers. The PRS SE line of products complements the Maryland-made PRS line by offering highly approachable and more affordable electric, acoustic, and bass guitars. Carlos Santana, Neal Schon, John McLaughlin, John Mayer, Jimmy Herring, Tim Pierce, Orianthi, Mark Tremonti, Zach Myers of Shinedown, Brian Kelley of Florida Georgia Line, David Grissom, Martin Simpson, and Tony McManus are among the artists currently playing PRS instruments and/or amplifiers. www.prsguitars.com Visit our Media Room @ http://www.prsguitars.com/mediaroom/
About Maryland Hall:
Dedicated to Art for All, Maryland Hall is the region’s cultural core, convening and engaging all people in arts experiences that strengthen community. Serving 100,000 people each year, Maryland Hall educates, enriches and enhances lives through performances in our newly-renovated theatre, exhibitions in several galleries, education classes and workshops for all ages, and outreach programs that bring the arts to underserved students and our community. Maryland Hall is supported by a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council, an agency funded by the State of Maryland and the National Endowment for the Arts, and a grant from the Arts Council of Anne Arundel County. Additional support comes from sponsors and individual donors. Maryland Hall is located in Annapolis, Maryland. www.marylandhall.org