This summer, send your kids to a different kind of music camp -- The Fender Center and Blues Kids of America announced that Fernando Jones’ inaugural Blues Camp will take place June 27th to July 1st, 2011.

At the Blues Camp, student musicians ages 10 to 18 will have the opportunity to learn and play America’s root music in sunny Southern California. This week-long camp is free (score!), though transportation and lodging are not provided. Students will receive professional instruction in the hands-on, user-friendly environment at the Fender Center’s Kids Rock Free school and venue.

Ensemble placement is competitive and students (intermediate-to-advanced skill levels) must audition for positions. Camp information and audition forms are available online at blueskids.com. Openings for beginner-level students may also be available.

Participants are expected to register for an audition online by May 13th to audition in person on May 21st at the Fender Center. Out-of-town and international students may audition by submitting online video links by May 21st to the following email address: BluesNewz@aol.com. Out-of-town blues campers must be accompanied by a legal parent or guardian, and they are responsible for their own lodging and accommodations.

The week-long Blues Camp is presented by American bluesman, educator, songwriter, and scholar Fernando Jones. The self-taught guitarist currently holds the titles of bandleader; Blues Ensemble director at Columbia College Chicago; and Lecturer, focusing on music pedagogy and literacy improvement, with clients such as the Smithsonian Institute and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. On July 9, 2010 Jones received a Proclamation from Governor Pat Quinn of Illinois, for founding Blues Camp.

About the Fender Center: The Fender Center for Music Education is a non-profit center dedicated to the music education of children, located at 365 N. Main Street, in Corona, Calif. Run by the Fender Museum of Music and the Arts Foundation, the board is made up of civic leaders, elected officials, and business leaders from the Riverside County and Orange Country regions. The main focus of the Center is to provide music education to children at a no or low cost. Music education has been drastically reduced due to money constraints in the public education system. The Fender Center endeavors to bridge that gap by providing an innovative and caring environment for children to explore the world of music performance. Numerous studies have shown that children, who incorporate music into their education, perform better in math and science by a staggering 30 percent. Additionally, children attain a higher degree of personal confidence and a greater sense of accomplish compared to non-music students. Learn more at fendermuseum.com.

More information about Fernando Jones’ inaugural Blues Camp is available at blueskids.com.