GRRR Alters Paradigms for Summer Camp and Rock Music
For five days this past summer, Women in Music Minnesota ran the Girls Rock 'N' Roll Retreat (GRRR), a rock and roll camp for girls ages 10-17. In the camp, which was held in Golden Valley, Minnesota, the 35 participants honed their musical skills, formed all-girl bands, and participated in seminars on the music industry.
As told to WKCD by Karen Gustafson, Director, Girls Rock 'N' Roll Retreat
"This summer, we ran a five-day, all-girls rock camp. It was specifically for girls so they wouldn't have the pressure to dress right or act right around boys, and they could just kind of kick back and be themselves.
"Every day they had two instrument classes. Then they met with their bands twice a day. While they were with their bands, they wrote songs, both music and lyrics. We also worked on stage presence with the girls, helped them get over their nerves a little bit…and how to communicate through non-verbal signals on stage. They really learned a lot in that time.
"Each day, they also had art class. The instructor worked with them on making all of their marketing materials for their bands. They made all the posters, t-shirts, album covers, and they just had a lot of fun with spray paint!
"Each day, we had an informational seminar. Day one we had Jill Holly and Lisa Briones teach songwriting. The second day, Edie Baumgart presented a marketing seminar on questions like, how do you market your brand, how do you make a brand image?
"The third day, we had a program on self-esteem. We also had Abisha from Sick of Sarah come in and talk to the girls about what it’s like to go out on the road and be in a touring band. She has an all-girl band. She played for them and signed autographs and had her picture taken with them.
"The next day was cool. We had Lori Barbero, the drummer from Babes in Toyland. She did a seminar on the history of women in rock. She talked about a lot of rock greats and also people like Patsy Cline and what their influence was. Lori also talked about what it was like to be on the road as a traveling musician. Then the girls played their songs for her.
"Friday was the big concert, where they played for a sold out house. The tickets were five dollars apiece, and the proceeds went to Women in Music Minnesota. Each band played two or three original songs they had written that week. We held this at the Perpich Center for Arts Education. Their executive director is a classically-trained cellist. The people at the Perpich Center couldn't believe that we got girls to play a song in a week, girls who had never played their instruments before! Some girls had experience coming in. Other girls didn't get their first choice of instrument, or just wanted to be part of the camp and hadn't even played an instrument before!
"We got a grant for the program from the Best Buy Women’s Leadership Forum Organization to help with costs. Otherwise, the girls paid a fee to attend the camp, and we had some girls on scholarships that were funded through the program itself. Next year we're looking for people to fund scholarships.
"Next year, we're also thinking about having two camps—beginner and intermediate. A lot of the girls already said, 'sign me up for next year!' A lot of the moms dropping their daughters off said, 'I want to stay,' so we are thinking about doing a rock camp/spa weekend for 'mature women.' Something so that even older women can explore their dreams of being a rock star. 
"There have been other rock camps. There was one in Portland, Oregon several years ago. The inspiration for GRRR actually came from Jenny Case, our musical director. She had heard about the Portland camp and wanted to do something here. We decided to hold the camp because women tend to be overlooked in the music industry…. We wanted to show these little girls that if they want to grow up to be a rock musician, that the world is open to them."
Ten year-old Ana Siegel, a fifth grader at Minneapolis’ Breck School, attended the GRRR.
“It might have been harder with boys, because they would like to play different music. We would have trouble deciding what to write with them and what to act like. It would be harder because they would kind of want to take control more, knowing boys.
“I’m definitely going to go back next year. My favorite part about it was the concert at the end, because it was a public concert and people could come if they wanted to. It gives you the feeling of being in a real concert and all the pressure that comes with it.”
14 year-old Lauren Kopka, a GRRR participant, is now a freshman at De La Salle High School in Minneapolis. At GRRR, she learned to play the drums and founded a band called "The Bubble Slap Babes."
“I found this camp to be very rewarding. I came to camp with a passion for music – that’s all! I had no background in knowing how to play an instrument or read music.
“Within a week, all that changed, and by Friday afternoon I was in a band, on stage in front of a large crowd proudly displaying my talents! The week was filled with seminars on lyric writing, stage presence, learning music, designing posters and t-shirts to promote our band, and daily practice sessions. We had local musicians come in and speak to us about woman in music and their experience.
“Most of all, we bonded and made what I feel may be life long friendships and we created an atmosphere of wonderful memorable experiences. We got to learn what it was like just to be in a band and all that comes with it. We had to name our band and find music for ourselves, and learn the notes and everything.”
Cheryl Kopka is Lauren’s mother.
“This camp was unique. Yes, it’s a rock and roll camp, but it wasn’t about banging on drums, and screaming into a microphone. It was much more about building trusting relationships, self esteem, leadership skills and preserving the unique talents of young woman. The girls at the camp came from various communities in the Twin Cities area. They were diverse in their ethnic and economic backgrounds yet they shared one passion—the love of music!”
Click here to listen to a radio commercial advertising the GRRR camp.
