Americana’s new horn department
Well folks, we keep getting calls from parents in the area looking for a place where kids can come and get some extra help with their band instruments. Such as trumpet, trombone, clarinet, saxophone, flute etc. etc. etc.

Americana already has teachers to help kids with the stringed instruments, the violins family. So it would only seem fair that we should get a few teachers who are good at horns and woodwinds.

Well...consider it done. This summer we welcome Nate Craft, a native Kansan who has 3 1/2 years of band teaching experience and is also a gigging local musician. He is a trombone player who has substantial practical experience teaching all the instruments in the brass family. He will work with any age—pure beginners all the way up through advanced students. His true passion lies in helping students broaden their musical horizons beyond the traditional band repertoire into the realm of blues and jazz forms. What he aims to offer is a balance between tried and true brass playing technique and exposure to improvised music. So if your kids simply want to improve their playing and move to the top of their section, or if they are interested in learning material appropriate for jazz band and beyond, Nate has the experience and the resources to make it happen.

Also, Americana is proud and honored to welcome world famous California based Saxophone, flute and harmonica great, Rick Yamashiro to town. Rick is an old (OLD) friend of our Director and he has moved to Lawrence to settle down and teach here at the Academy. He is not only well versed in the above mentioned instruments, he is also a master of Celtic, Asian and native American flutes. He has played with some of the biggest names in the music business and wants to bring his talents and perspective to Americana.

So parents, find out if your kids would like to be the best player in his or her school band. If so bring ‘em by Americana and we’ll help them succeed and teach them how to have fun doing it.

For more call 785-830-9640 or us.