The presentation will highlight Juno award winner Gord Grdina who will take “students on a musical, social and geographic journey through the history of guitar music from Arabic, classical, country, blues, jazz, rock and pop styles,” notes an OSAC release.
“Through looping technology, percussion and projections, Gord will accompany himself on several instruments at once while engaging students through listening games and physical activity. Musically you’ll hear everything from traditional Egyptian music to Johnny Cash and Muddy Waters to AC/DC.”
This presentation is being made available to schools for a two-week period from Sept. 27-Oct. 29, so it can be streamed into individual classrooms, as well as accessed remotely for those teachers and students who are working remotely.
Yorkdale Central School in the city is one taking advantage of the presentation.
“Back in the spring when I heard about the possibility of a live guitar performance that could possibly happen at school, I was very excited,” said school principal Dennis Nesseth. “Music can speak and teach in a way that often goes beyond words – it is important for young people to have that experience.
“While not a live performance -- we look forward to a time when that can happen -- Gord Grdina will be able to provide our students the next best thing.
“We really look forward to bringing him virtually into our classrooms.”
OSAC also notes, Grdina has led many bands and toured throughout the world - most notably in the Dan Mangan band, Haram, and the Gordon Grdina NYC Quartet. He is an Oud/Guitarist whose sound is a combination of his interests in rock, mainstream jazz, freeform improvisation and Arabic classical music. He has been performing in schools for over 15 years as a member of the Blues Berries and has performed over 1,000 school concerts in BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario. His educational performances have introduced hundreds of thousands of students to established genres of popular music through carefully designed programs including The History of the Blues, Jazz in the Gym, A History of Rock and Roll, Jazz, Jive, and Wail, and Blues Rocks.
