Sisters, OR is a modern, western community that honors its heritage. Sisters is known for its charming setting and involved community. One community venture is the Americana Project. This project is an innovative music and arts education program with broad community outreach. It is a collaboration between Sisters Folk Festival, Creative Educational Resources and the Sisters School District. These creative classes are offered at both Sisters High and all of Sisters middle schools. The classes provide students opportunities for self-expression in music and visual arts, ability to learn how to play the guitar, write songs, perform, record and engineer their own music. Another program offered is the Community Luthier program, where students learn how to build custom guitars and ukuleles.
The Community Luthier program started in 2005 by Tony Cosby, who teaches woodworking and engineering at Sisters High School. Cosby reached out to Jayson Bowerman, an excellent guitar builder, to help him create a program for the youth of Sisters who were passionate about guitar building and music. In the beginning Bowerman would come each Monday and show the kids a step of the guitar building process. He would bring the wood, show them how to master each step and then come back the next Monday to show the kids the next step. This program has been growing bigger and more successful each year. Breedlove is a proud sponsor of The Sisters Folk Fest and an avid supporter in the Community Luthier program. Sisters Folk Fest is just around the corner and the Community Luthier program is one of the projects the proceeds go to.
Breedlove is extremely proud of these students who completed the Community Luthier program. It is inspiring to see such passionate high school students who want to learn how to build a guitar. Make sure you head out to Sisters Folk Festival September 11-13, 2015 to enjoy great music and support the community!
To learn more about the Sisters Americana Project go here.
