Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls

We’re still accepting volunteer applications for summer 2012 – if you’re interested in helping out, fill out your volunteer application here.

WMRC is still accepting applications for both sessions of its 2012 summer camp season. The deadline is Tuesday, May 1. For more information and applications, click here.

WMRC is proud to present its first-ever Spring Festival, featuring live music / live art / hands-on activities for enthusiasts of all ages / raffles, prizes, and a bake sale! Saturday April 28th, 1 – 3 p.m. at Union Pool in Williamsburg. $5 suggested donation (no one turned away due to lack of funds). The afternoon will include performances by students from WMRC’s Music Lab after school program, who will be showcasing their accomplishments from the semester, and sets by DJ’s and the Willow Place Band, a group of 7-year-olds working with WMRC as part of its Band-in-a-Box program. Prospective campers and volunteers for girls rock camp and Ladies Rock Camp can apply on the spot, and alumni of both programs are encouraged to stop by and “get the band back together.” Join the Willie Mae community for a celebration of spring and all things creative!

This summer, WMRC will provide daily, round-trip chaperoned trips for campers between designated points and the camp sites. For the July session, the drop-off locations will be Grand Army Plaza and Borough Hall. For the August session, the locations will be the Grand Central and Times Square/42nd Street subway stations. For more information, see the camper application.

Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls will have strong presence at the international EMP Conference, Sounds of the City, taking place March 22-25 at NYU Kimmel Center. On March 23, WMRC Executive Director Karla Schickele will participate in a roundtable discussion and Still Saffire will perform. TONS more panels and offerings and networking opportunities, ALL FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC! Registration closes Monday, so sign up now:  http://www.empmuseum.org/education/index.asp?categoryID=26.

Come one, come all! Volunteer applications for Summer 2012 are now available. The deadline to apply is May 18th. For info and applications, click HERE.

CLICK HERE to listen to a podcast made by Willie Mae Music Lab’s weekend workshop participants! Students met once a month for three months and learned about sound, recording, and radio production! This podcast is the result of their hard work. Enjoy!

We’ve launched our roster of after school programming for Winter/Spring 2011-12. Check out our classes, and sign up today! We’re expanding our programming in 2011-12 to include lessons on even more instruments, plus weekend workshops to complement music lessons and ensemble (also available as a free-standing course). More music, more fun, and more ways to rock out!

WMRC is in search of a new facility for its summer programming – and maybe even a new year-round home – for 2012 and beyond. The move comes at an exciting time for the organization, and represents a real opportunity for growth – more girls and women served, more creativity, more noise, more life-changing programs! As always, we’d like to include members of the Willie Mae community in this project. We are forming an ad hoc Site Search Committee, to be made up of Willie Mae staff, Board members, and interested friends of Rock Camp.

Interested in helping out? Know someone who might be a great fit? Please drop a line to Executive Director Karla Schickele at karla@williemaerockcamp.org.

Commissioned by the Gotham Girls Roller Derby, with support from Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls, the awesome band Still Saffire has created a song called “Here We Go” that’s being played at derby bouts and will be featured on the Gotham Girls’ TV show. Check out the song, and download it here. A portion of proceeds from all song sales benefit WMRC and GGRD!

Gotham Girls Roller Derby is New York City’s only all-female, do-it-yourself (DIY), skater-operated roller derby league.

Still Saffire is an alternative rock band featuring four talented young women ages 13 – 16. Based in Nyack, NY, the band has a knack for writing songs that are engaging and relevant, with a sophistication and maturity that belies their youth.