I MISS Camp
Not even a week has passed, and I’m already feeling a sense of loss—I know it’s because I miss Camp!
Over the past several Thursdays, I’ve been working with a group of creatives, both young and older, interested in learning the basics of music creation through something I’ve called “Koala Camp.” We’ve had campers as young as 9 years old and others well into their 40s, and every single one of them was new to the Koala Sampler app before camp.
The idea for Koala Camp was sparked by an opportunity to receive a grant from the Stanislaus Arts Council. I wanted to use my love for music and my knowledge of the Koala Sampler app to introduce this art form to my community. Although I had minimal experience teaching a group, being around my good friends Sam Pierstorff and Mike Ruehle during Write Night really helped me craft my syllabus and understand the basic formula for a classroom setting. I took the plunge, submitted my application, and was thrilled to be one of five artists awarded a $1,000 grant. Thank you, Tara, Veronica, and Dominique, for your patience and support throughout the process.
Finding people to join me on this Koala Camp journey was surprisingly easy. After promoting the camp for just over a month, I received 19 applications. While four of the original applicants didn’t show up for the first session, and many had trouble returning for all four classes, those who stuck with it—some even attending more than three sessions—made me incredibly proud. I didn’t turn away any applicants who met the criteria, though occasionally things slipped through the cracks, like our young camper buddy Octavio. He was only 9 when camp started (Koala Camp is for ages 10+), but he turned 10 during our third session. That two-week age gap didn’t hinder him one bit; he was intent on creating beats that truly reflected his vision. We had a total of four campers under 18, and their young minds grasped the devices exceptionally well. Some campers showed a genuine love for music, which shone through in their creations. By our second session, most campers were far ahead of the curriculum I had initially presented, prompting me to accelerate the class by a week and dive into some advanced workflows. Some campers even dissected the app at home and provided quick tutorials, teaching me how to customize my Koala app display.
The final session left me feeling quite emotional. Beyond completing the project, the campers who presented live performances of their creations—after just three sessions in less than a month—filled me with overwhelming gratitude. A telling moment was when I was helping a camper save a beat and load another project and seen well over 20 other saved projects inside his phone, quite literally amazed at the momentum this project had in some peoples lives. My young friend Wiley couldn’t make it to the final session but submitted his work via text message. He attended every single session, even when he wasn’t physically present. I can’t recall many things as rewarding in my life as Koala Camp, and I will forever be grateful for the opportunity I was given.
A huge shout-out to all my camper buddies:
Greg & Gwen
Jesse
Julio
Wiley
Martin
Octavio
Christopher
Rally
Adam
Martese & Nancy
Rebecca & Neiko
Alejandra
Benny
Riley
And a super-duper shout-out to:
Lofi Diner (Shawna, Alicia, Lauren)
Sam & Mike (Modesto Artists Movement)
All the parents who ensured the youngsters made it to camp
Modesto View Magazine
Casey Penera
Vero
Dave Rodgers
And especially the Stanislaus Arts Council!
