Clark County School District in Las Vegas, NV will be starting the 2019-20 school year on August 12, 2019. CCSD has 62 classroom guitar teachers with an expected 5,160 classroom guitar students. Guitar is offered at the Middle School and High School levels. The majority of the students are enrolled in a beginning level guitar class. This will be the twenty-second year guitar has been offered in Las Vegas, NV.
This will be the eighteenth year for guitar to be offered at the Las Vegas Academy of Performing Arts. This award-winning, high school guitar program received the first Gibson Award for an outstanding high school guitar program in 2005, has been featured at four National Association of Music Merchandisers (NAMM) national conventions, two bi-annual Music Educators National Conferences (MENC), multiple national guitar festivals, and numerous conventions held in Las Vegas. The LVA Guitar Program was one of the first to receive the Guitar Foundation of America Pre-College Certification, a new program started in the fall of 2017. To learn more about this outstanding guitar program, visit www.classroomguitar.com.
With the new school starting, check what what is new at www.billswick.com.
June, 2019 Nine LVA guitar students are accepted into this year’s NAfME All-Nation Honor Guitar Ensemble to perform in Orlando in November, 2019
March, 2019 Two LVA students, Andrew Amaya and Summer Mower tied for Second Place in the annual University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) Classical Guitar Competition
March, 2019 Varsity 3 travels to Orange County, CA to participate in the Orange County Guitar Festival and Competition hosted by Chapman University. This was an invitational performance. Varsity 3 was the only large high school guitar ensemble to be invited.
January, 2019 Bill Swick travels to Orlando, FL to conduct the Orange County School District Honor Guitar Ensemble
January, 2019 LVA students make a clean sweep at the Best in Southern Nevada Solo & Ensemble Tournament taking the top three places in solos, duos, trios and quartets.
December, 2018 Bill Swick selected as the conductor for the 2019 All National Honor Guitar Ensemble
November, 2018 Bill Swick and four selected students attend and perform in the nation’s first All National Honor Guitar Ensemble in Orlando, FL
August, 2018 Four LVA students selected to participate in the nation’s first All National Honor Gutiar Ensemble-Taizja Broadnax, Aidan Corea, Chloe St. George and Paolo Uno
June, 2018 Bill Swick travels to Washington, DC to participate in the NAfME Hill Day and to meet with Nevada leaders to secure full funding for the Every Student Success Act (ESSA)
June, 2018 Bill Swick receives Teacher of Excellence Award from the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts
May, 2018 Four LVA students auditioned and made the nation’s first All National Honor Guitar Ensemble which will perform in Orlando, FL in November, 2019
January, 2018 LVA students make a clean sweep at the Best in Southern Nevada Solo & Ensemble Tournament taking the top three places in solos, duos, trios and quartets.
November, 2017 Bill Swick named ensemble manager of the nation’s first All National Honor Guitar Ensemble
November, 2017 The LVA Senior Guitar Quartet participates in the first annual Guitar Festival and Competition at Oklahoma City University
October, 2017 Bill Swick’s book, Teaching Beginning Guitar Class: A Practical Guide is published by Oxford University Press
September, 2017 LVA Guitar Program receives certification from the Guitar Foundation of America
September, 2017 Varsity 3 travels to St. Louis Obispo, CA for the La Guitarra Bi-Annual Guitar Festival
June, 2017 Bill Swick travels to Washington, DC to participate in the NAfME Hill Day
June, 2017 Bill Swick presents Fifty Years of Guitar Education in the U.S. at the Guitar Foundation of America International Conference in Fullerton, CA
June, 2017 Bill Swick receives Teacher of Excellence Award from the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts
April, 2017 Both Varsity 2 and Varsity 3 take Superior Ratings at the CCSD Guitar Ensemble Festival
March, 2017 LVA Senior Guitar Quartet takes second place in the University of Texas-Brownsville Guitar Ensemble Festival
February, 2017 Varsity 3 participates in the South Bay Guitar Festival held in San Jose, CA and received three Superior Ratings and a cash prize for highest scoring high school
November, 2016 Bill Swick presents at the National Association for Music Educators National Conference in Garland, TX
October, 2016 Varsity 3 performs a world premiere of 4 commissioned compositions by Jurg Kindle, Red Train, Green Train, Yellow Train, and Blue Train
June, 2016 Bill Swick travels to Washington, DC to participate in the NAfME Hill Day
April, 2016 Bill Swick receives the Top Ten GRAMMY Music Educator of the Year Award along with a cash prize
April, 2016 Both Varsity 2 and Varsity 3 takes Superior Ratings at the CCSD Guitar Ensemble Festival
March, 2016 Senior Guitar Quartet travels to Brownsville, TX for the UTB Guitar Ensemble Competition and took first place
November, 2015 Bill Swick is offered an opportunity to write a book on guitar education for Oxford Press Publications
October, 2015 Bill Swick identified as Top 10 Finalist for the GRAMMY Music Educator of the Year
October, 2015 Bill Swick presents at the National Association for Music Educators Convention in Nashville, TN
September, 2015 Varsity 3 travels to St. Louis Obispo, CA for the La Guitarra Bi-Annual Guitar Festival
June, 2015 Bill Swick presents at the Guitar Foundation of America International Conference in Oklahoma City, OK
March, 2015 LVA Senior Guitar Quartet takes First Place in the University of Texas-Brownsville Guitar Ensemble Competition in Brownsville, TX
February, 2015 Bill Swick hosts the Guitar Foundation of America Regional Symposium in Las Vegas at Coronado High School
January, 2015 Bill Swick presents at the NAMM Winter Convention in Anaheim, CA, Varsity 3 also performed
December, 2014 Bill Swick performs at the Midwest Conference for Band and Orchestra in Chicago, IL with Jeff Hamilton, Randy Brecker and Tom Scott.
November, 2014 Bill Swick appointed Chair for the National Guitar Education Council for the National Association of Music Educators, a 4-year appointment
November, 2014 Bill Swick is interviewed in Just Jazz Guitar Magazine Just Jazz Guitar 20th Anniversary Issue
October 28, 2014 Bill Swick to present at the National Association of Music Educators conference entitled “Teaching Guitar through Ensemble Playing” in Nashville, TN
October 14-17, 2014 Bill Swick travels to Santa Fe, NM to do an evaluation of the Magnet Performing Arts School in Santa Fe
June 16-19, 2014 Bill Swick will be teaching a Professional Development Education class entitled “Teaching Guitar through Ensemble Playing”
June, 2014 Bill Swick receives “2014 Teacher of Excellence” Award
May, 2014 Las Vegas Academy receives the 9th Gold GRAMMY and the 12th GRAMMY Signature School Award.
May, 2014 Bill Swick is awarded the “2013-14 Educator of the Year” award out of more than 18,000 teachers
April, 2014 the LVA Senior Guitar Quartet is awarded its third DownBeat Magazine Award for “Best High School Latin Ensemble.”
March 28, 2014 Senior Guitar Quartet to compete in the University of Texas Brownsville Guitar Ensemble Competition and took first place
March 3, 2014 Bill Swick to present at the American String Teachers Association in Louisville, KT
December 6 & 7, 2013 Bill Swick organizes and hosts the first annual High School Honor Guitar Ensemble directed by John Truit
December 4, 2013 Bill Swick performs at the Smith Center in Las Vegas with the CCSD Honor Guitar Ensemble and CCSD Choir for the Holiday Gala
November 23, 2013 Bill Swick conducts the 13th Annual Middle School Directors’ Choice Honor Guitar Ensemble
October 27, 2013 Bill Swick presented at the Music Association for Music Educators (NAFME) National Conference in Nashville, Tennessee
October 22, 2013 Bill Swick attends the National Network for Art Schools conference in New York City with principal Scott Walker to receive the Outstanding Arts School of the Year Award
June 27, 2013 Bill Swick to present at the Guitar Foundation of American (GFA) International Convention in Louisville, Kentucky. The LVA Senior Guitar Quartet was selected to perform for this year’s Youth Showcase.
March 1, 2013 Bill Swick to present at the American String Teachers Association (ASTA) National Convention in Providence, Rhode Island
January 26, 2013 Bill Swick to present with Dr. Bill Purse at the National Association of Music Manufactures (NAMM) Winter Convention in Anaheim, CA
January 25, 2013 Bill Swick to present at the San Diego School District Guitar Teachers Association in San Diego, CA
December 1, 2012 Bill Swick organizes and hosts the first annual High School Honor Guitar Ensemble directed by Felix Bullock
December 1, 2012 Bill Swick organizes and hosts the first annual “Best in Southern Nevada” Guitar Solo & Ensemble Tournament
November 17, 2012 Bill Swick conducts the 12th Annual Middle School Directors’ Choice Honor Guitar Ensemble
September 6, 2012 Dr. Martha Masters presents Bill Swick and the Las Vegas Academy Varsity 3 Guitar Ensemble the first Augustine Strings Grant which includes two visitations by Dr. Masters and a commissioned composition entitled “Cascade”.
June, 2012 Bill Swick teaches a professional development course for guitar teachers entitled, “Beyond Beginning Guitar.”
May, 2012 Las Vegas Academy receives the 8th Gold GRAMMY and the 10th GRAMMY Signature School Award.
April, 2012 the LVA Senior Guitar Quartet is awarded its second DownBeat Magazine Award for “Best High School Classical Ensemble.”
April, 2012 the LVA Sophomore Guitar Quartet is awarded Command Performance at the Nevada Educators Music Association state convention.
March, 2012 the LVA Senior Guitar Quartet took 2nd place at the University of Brownsville, TX national guitar ensemble competition.
March, 2012 Bill Swick presents at the national American String Teachers Association convention in Atlanta, GA.
January, 2012 Bill Swick conducts the All-State Guitar Ensemble at the New Mexico Music Educators Association state convention in Albuquerque, NM.
October, 2011 LVA Guitar Program became one of three programs to receive the the first Augustine String Educational Grant.
August, 2011 Bill Swick launches the Swickster Guitar line.
June, 2010 Bill Swick performs in the Brian Head Guitar Orchestra at the Guitar Foundation of America Convention in Austin, TX.
June, 2010 Las Vegas Academy hosts the second annual Summer Guitar Festival featuring Corey Christiansen, Raymond WIlliams and Mel Hallam.
May, 2010 Las Vegas Academy receives the 7th Gold GRAMMY and the 9th GRAMMY Signature School Award.
April, 2010 Bill Swick is selected to conduct the New Mexico All-State Guitar Ensemble in January, 2012 see The New Mexico Musician
March, 2010 Las Vegas Academy Varsity 3 guitar ensemble performs at the Loyola Marymount Guitar Festival.
November, 2009 Las Vegas Academy purchases the largest Yamaha Silent Guitar Lab ever assembled with 32 stations. see article 1, article 2, article 3
September, 2009 Las Vegas Academy Varsity 3 guitar ensemble attends the LaGuitarra California 2009 Guitar Festival in Santa Maria, CA
June, 2009 Las Vegas Academy hosts the first annual Summer Guitar Festival featuring Michael Chapdelaine, Robert Conti, Raymond Williams and Mel Hallam.
June, 2009 Bill Swick performs in the Andrew York Guitar Orchestra at the Guitar Foundation of America Convention in Itheca, NY
April, 2009 Las Vegas Academy Varsity 3 guitar ensemble performs for Avid at The Joint inside the Hard Rock Hotel for the National Association of Broadcasters National Convention
April, 2009 Las Vegas Academy wins 6th Gold GRAMMY and 8th GRAMMY Signature School Award. “And the GRAMMY Goes…”
March, 2009 Las Vegas Academy Varsity 3 guitar ensemble performs at Loyola Marymount University Guitar Festival in Los Angeles, CA
March, 2009 Bill Swick appears on the cover of School Band & Orchestra magazine with a featured article entitled; “Guitar: the other stringed instrument.”
February, 2009 Las Vegas Review Journal publishes a feature story on Bill Swick see Music to the Ears
January, 2009 Las Vegas Academy Varsity 3 guitar ensemble performs at the Winter NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA
August, 2008 Bill Swick speaks at the international Guitar Foundation of America convention in San Francisco, CA.
April, 2008 Bill Swick speaks at the Bi-Annual Music Educators National Conference in Milwaukee, WI.
October, 2007 Las Vegas Academy Varsity 3 guitar ensemble performs at the international Guitar Foundation of America convention in Los Angeles, CA in the Youth Showcase.
April, 2007 Bill Swick speaks at the Nevada Music Educators Association state convention.
October, 2006 Bill Swick speaks at the International Guitar Foundation of America convention in Columbus, GA.
April, 2006 Las Vegas Academy Varsity 3 guitar ensemble performed at the Bi-Annual Music Educators National Conference in Salt Lake City, UT.
April, 2006 – Las Vegas Academy guitar senior Rebecca Neher is awarded DownBeat Magazine’s annual DownBeat Magazine Award for outstanding classical soloist. Rebecca went on to study at the University of Arizona with Thomas Patterson.
June, 2006 – The first guitar students with four years of classroom guitar at LVA graduate from the Las Vegas Academy of Performing Arts in Las Vegas, NV.
June, 2005 – LVA student Kylee Andreasen is the first student to graduate in the state of Nevada having completed seven years of classroom guitar. She went on to study guitar at Utah State University with Mike Christiansen. Kylee has since graduated and has a degree in music education and a state teacher’s license in Utah.
Spring, 2005- Review Journal publishes an article on Bill Swick and the Music Department at Las Vegas Academy see Hitting the High Notes
