Recent

Bad Cat Introduces the Ocelot — Small Amp. Big Attitude. Total Control.

August 27, 2025

2025 MMR Dealers’ Choice Awards Nominations – Ballot Closes 9/5!

August 22, 2025
Paul Reed Smith and Governor Wes Moore: photo credit Stephanie Lemus/PRS Guitars

Paul Reed Smith Day Declared by Maryland Governor Wes Moore

August 22, 2025

Timeless Elegance Meets Modern Performance: Introducing The ADJ Vintage Bar

August 22, 2025

Slingerland Launches Radio King and Studio King Outfits, Plus Spare Parts

August 22, 2025

Seattle Cascades Now a Fully Powered KHS America Drum & Bugle Corps

August 22, 2025
Reid Peterson (Audio-Technica U.S. Executive Director of Sales, Professional Markets); Julie Van Berg (Mavric Incorporated sales associate); Kazuo Matsushita (Audio-Technica Corporation CEO/President); Pete Petty (Mavric Incorporated principal); Manabu Aoki (Audio-Technica U.S. CEO/President); Jeff Beck (Audio-Technica U.S. Regional Sales Manager, System Solutions); and David Barrett, Jerry Silhavy and John Herr (Mavric Incorporated sales associates). Photo credit: Corey Walthall, Clyne Media

Audio-Technica honors Mavric, Inc. with its President’s Award

August 22, 2025

Solid State Logic Appoints Mark Skipper to National Sales Manager, Eastern U.S., for Broadcast & Live Audio Production Systems

August 22, 2025
Friday, August 29, 2025
  • Contact
MMR Magazine
  • Subscribe Now!
    • Subscribe Now!
  • Advertise
  • Email Press Releases!
  • Current Issue
    • Past Issues
  • Newsroom
    • News
    • MMR Global
    • Supplier Scene
    • Upfront
    • People
  • Awards
    • Dealers’ Choice Awards Ballot 2024
    • Don Johnson Award Winners Archive
  • Directory
  • Get Support!
No Result
View All Result
  • Subscribe Now!
    • Subscribe Now!
  • Advertise
  • Email Press Releases!
  • Current Issue
    • Past Issues
  • Newsroom
    • News
    • MMR Global
    • Supplier Scene
    • Upfront
    • People
  • Awards
    • Dealers’ Choice Awards Ballot 2024
    • Don Johnson Award Winners Archive
  • Directory
  • Get Support!
No Result
View All Result
MMR Magazine
No Result
View All Result

Guitar Center Announces Winners of the Guitar Center Lessons Crossroads Contest

Christian Wissmuller by Christian Wissmuller
September 21, 2023
in Supplier Scene
0
939
SHARES
2.3k
VIEWS
Share on Facebook
ADVERTISEMENT
Guitar Center announces the winners of its GC Lessons Crossroads Contest, held as part of the festivities around the 2023 Crossroads Guitar Festival. Earlier this summer, GC Lessons students nationwide submitted videos showcasing their skills, which were judged by a diverse panel of Guitar Center employees. Two grand prize winners were selected – Daniel Castillo of Miami, FL, and Max French of Lancaster, PA – from a pool of video submissions. The contest was open to all Guitar Center Lessons students who were at least 16 years-old and currently learning guitar at any of  the 300 plus lessons locations across the country.   
The grand prize includes a free trip (flight and accommodations) for each winning student and one guest to Los Angeles, CA, to perform, accompanied by a band consisting of Guitar Center Lessons Instructors from the Northridge, Calif. store, on a special stage at the Guitar Center Village, located adjacent to the Crypto.com arena (the festival’s main stage site) at L.A. LIVE on Peacock Place and Chick Hearn Court. They will perform on September 23 and 24.  
Daniel Castillo is a guitar student at the South Miami Guitar Center store, currently working with instructor Alex Escandon. Castillo credits the work of Eddie Van Halen for striking a chord with him early on and inspiring him to play guitar while listening to Van Halen’s classic songs with his father. He is also inspired by Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana and Stevie Ray Vaughan. He began playing guitar during COVID lockdown and took it very seriously, practicing every day. He remarks, “I realized that the guitar gives me nothing but joy. What keeps me motivated is trying to get better and better and learn new techniques and improve as a musician.” Last year, he auditioned for and was admitted to his high school’s rock ensemble class, and this year he is taking its honors concert band class.  
Max French is a guitar student at the Lancaster Guitar Center store, currently working with instructor Jonas Kreitzer. As a 13-year-old in 2018, he began to dig into classic records – first the work of the Beatles, and then his Uncle Mark’s record collection, which ranged from the 60s to the 80s. “These albums helped me learn not just about guitar, but also keyboards, bass, and drums. I relate most to a lot of the artists from the 60s and 70s,” he notes. “All my free time at this point is either practicing, listening to music or talking to my friends who are also greatly interested in music. Everyone I know right now, I would never have met, if I didn’t play guitar.” He plans on applying to Berklee College of Music for Fall 2024.  
“These talented students represent the next generation of musicians, and we are beyond proud that they have been able to hone their craft with the amazing instructors within our GC Lessons program,” said Dr. Donny Gruendler, Vice President of Music Education at Guitar Center. “We cannot wait for them to perform at the GC Village and showcasing their talents along with some of the world’s best guitarists, which is the ultimate reward for all their hard work.” 
More about the Guitar Center Village:
The Guitar Center Village will host nearly two dozen guitar and gear manufacturers. Village guests will be able to plug in and play the latest guitars, amps, pedals, mics, and specialized audio gear from the world’s best manufacturers. The largest exhibition in the Village will be in the Guitar Center & Legends Collection tent, which will include scores of instruments and extensive selections of gear for guitarists at every skill level and price point, as well as its world-renowned Legends Collection, featuring famous vintage guitars previously owned and played by artists including Eric Clapton  and Stevie Ray Vaughan). In addition, Guitar Center will be displaying and selling instruments from the Crossroads 25th Anniversary Collection of limited edition electric and acoustic guitars from the custom shops of Fender, Martin, and PRS/Paul Reed Smith. 
For more information and videos featuring the 2023 Crossroads Guitar Festival’s 25th Anniversary Guitar Collection, please visit https://www.guitarcenter.com/Crossroads.gc. For more information about the Crossroads Guitar Festival, please visit crossroadsguitarfestival.com.
ADVERTISEMENT
Tags: CrossroadsGuitar Center
Previous Post

ENGL Amplification Launches the ENGL E670FE Special Edition Founders Edition

Next Post

ASI Audio appoints 3DWave Audio for UK distribution

Related Posts

Supplier Scene

Seattle Cascades Now a Fully Powered KHS America Drum & Bugle Corps

August 22, 2025
Reid Peterson (Audio-Technica U.S. Executive Director of Sales, Professional Markets); Julie Van Berg (Mavric Incorporated sales associate); Kazuo Matsushita (Audio-Technica Corporation CEO/President); Pete Petty (Mavric Incorporated principal); Manabu Aoki (Audio-Technica U.S. CEO/President); Jeff Beck (Audio-Technica U.S. Regional Sales Manager, System Solutions); and David Barrett, Jerry Silhavy and John Herr (Mavric Incorporated sales associates). Photo credit: Corey Walthall, Clyne Media
Supplier Scene

Audio-Technica honors Mavric, Inc. with its President’s Award

August 22, 2025
Supplier Scene

Boston Crusaders Win 1st-Ever DCI Gold Medal Playing Pearl/Adams

August 22, 2025
Supplier Scene

Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Chad Smith Launches Foundation to Champion Music Education, Access and Opportunity for Aspiring Artists

August 22, 2025
Supplier Scene

SONOR Drums Welcomes New Artist Federico Caballero (FDFX)

August 19, 2025
Supplier Scene

Blood, Sweat, and Gear – 25 Years of Mojotone

August 18, 2025
Next Post
Selma Becker-Parker

ASI Audio appoints 3DWave Audio for UK distribution

Please login to join discussion
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest

Bad Cat Introduces the Ocelot — Small Amp. Big Attitude. Total Control.

August 27, 2025

Dennis Van Vactor, 27-Year Yamaha Exec, Passes Away

August 21, 2025

2025 MMR Dealers’ Choice Awards Nominations – Ballot Closes 9/5!

August 22, 2025

Seattle Cascades Now a Fully Powered KHS America Drum & Bugle Corps

August 22, 2025

Bad Cat Introduces the Ocelot — Small Amp. Big Attitude. Total Control.

Paul Reed Smith and Governor Wes Moore: photo credit Stephanie Lemus/PRS Guitars

Paul Reed Smith Day Declared by Maryland Governor Wes Moore

Timeless Elegance Meets Modern Performance: Introducing The ADJ Vintage Bar

Slingerland Launches Radio King and Studio King Outfits, Plus Spare Parts

Bad Cat Introduces the Ocelot — Small Amp. Big Attitude. Total Control.

August 27, 2025

2025 MMR Dealers’ Choice Awards Nominations – Ballot Closes 9/5!

August 22, 2025
Paul Reed Smith and Governor Wes Moore: photo credit Stephanie Lemus/PRS Guitars

Paul Reed Smith Day Declared by Maryland Governor Wes Moore

August 22, 2025

Timeless Elegance Meets Modern Performance: Introducing The ADJ Vintage Bar

August 22, 2025
ADVERTISEMENT
The Latest News and Gear in Your Inbox - Sign Up Today!
  • August 2025

    Articles | Digital Issue
  • July 2025

    Articles | Digital Issue
  • June 2025

    Articles | Digital Issue
  • May 2025

    Articles | Digital Issue
  • April 2025

    Articles | Digital Issue
© 2005 - 2025 artistpro, LLC
7012 City Center Way, Suite 207
Fairview, Tennessee 37062
(800) 682-8114

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Subscribe Now!
    • Subscribe Now!
  • Advertise
  • Email Press Releases!
  • Current Issue
    • Past Issues
  • Newsroom
    • News
    • MMR Global
    • Supplier Scene
    • Upfront
    • People
  • Awards
    • Dealers’ Choice Awards Ballot 2024
    • Don Johnson Award Winners Archive
  • Directory
  • Get Support!

© 2005 – 2024 artistpro, LLC 7012 City Center Way, Suite 207 Fairview, Tennessee 37062 (800) 682-8114

This is Modal Title

Click Me
Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?