10th Anniversary of Sunburst!
Alex Stanton • May 5, 2021
It was May 2011 when I first signed the lease of a tiny basement room in Squirrel Hill to teach guitar out of. It's been a crazy fun journey, and for me personally, the privilege of my life to work with so many amazingly kind, passionate, and creative students, teachers, family members, and administrators. I felt that a fun way to celebrate - and to tell the tale of Sunburst - would be a little trip down memory lane through pictures. This will be the first of two installments covering our whole history. From when we had one room, one teacher, and no students to our 15 room studio, over 20 teachers, and nearly 500 students.
If you have any photos or stories you'd like to share from over the years, we'd love to hear them and include them! Send 'em over via social media, the contact page, or the comments below!
–Alex
Founder & Director
And now, we begin with the great flood of '011...
Well, thanks for coming along for Part 1. That's our history from 2011 to about 2015 when we started to get comfortable in our new space. Check back for Part 2 where we meet new friends, demolish a law office, and make a guitar out of floppy disks...
See you then!
Band Application now open for 2025 Squirrel Hill Night Market
April 2025 - Issue #92
March 2025 - Issue #91
February 2025 - Issue #90
January 2025 - Issue #89
December 2024 - Issue #88
The holidays are fast approaching and you’re trying to find the best gift for all of the amazing musicians in your family. There’s a lot of noise out there, but we at Sunburst are HEAR to help!
Get ready for an action-packed November at Sunburst! From Winter Recital signups and group program enrollments to free jam sessions and a heartwarming food drive, there’s something for everyone this month. Dive into our latest newsletter for all the details on events, new instructors, and ways to give back!
Join us in donating to the JFCS Food Pantry! Check out our guide on what items they need most and find a link to make a financial contribution directly on their website.
Sign-ups are now open for our Winter Recitals! Each teacher will be hosting one or two 45-minute sessions during the first two weeks of December. Students can sign up through the link below, or feel free to reach out to us here , and we’ll be happy to assist with the registration process. Here are a few key reminders about the recitals: Participation is free, but we do welcome donations to our Scholarship Fund . You can contribute when you check out, or we’ll also be accepting cash donations at the door. Thank you for your support! Each recital session lasts about 50 minutes, featuring 12–15 students. We anticipate an audience of 40–60 people. Friends and family are encouraged to attend! If you plan on bringing more than four guests, please let us know in advance so we can arrange seating accordingly. If you’re unable to attend your teacher’s assigned session but still want to perform, let us know! We’ll do our best to accommodate you in another session. Adults are welcome to participate in their teacher’s session or in a special BYOB adults-only session on December 13th! Not all teachers will attend the adult session, so be sure to discuss this with your instructor ahead of time. Regularly scheduled lessons and programs may overlap with some recital times, so we kindly ask everyone to be mindful of this when entering and leaving the building. We're here for any recital-related questions (or anything else!), so don’t hesitate to reach out. We can’t wait to see everyone perform this winter!
