Indianapolis is Rewriting the Rules of Music Education
Words by Avery Martin; photos provided by Girls Rock! Indianapolis
The first thing you hear is the noise. The bang of a drum, a trembling bass, and someone yelling lyrics that don't make sense yet. Guitars wailing through amps, keys being mashed with excitement, every sound echoes off the walls.
In the corner, a group of campers huddle over a poster board, imagining a logo for a band they named five minutes ago. It smells like markers, hairspray, and sweat. There are stickers on water bottles, patches on backpacks, and glitter in the air—literally. Nobody’s trying to be cool, they just are.
Welcome to Girls Rock!
Their mission is to prove that girls do, in fact, rock. What began as the Rock n’ Roll Camp for Girls has since grown into a globally recognized program, now with over 75 camps across the world. From the USA, to Europe, to Latin America, the message is clear: everyone can make music.
One of those camps is right here in Indianapolis.
Proving Music is for Everyone
Gabby Love, President of the Board and Camp Director, is passionate about the impact the program has on young campers. “Growing up in the 90’s as a weird rocker girl, I wonder what it would have felt like as a kid to do this.” She says, “There’s been a lot of healing for me doing this work.”
Despite its name, Girls Rock! isn’t just for girls. The camp empowers marginalized genders, including trans and non-binary youth — providing a safe space where young people who are too often excluded can belong.
Gigi Miedema, Vice President of the board and a camp alumni herself, shared how Girls Rock! inspired her to continue her journey in music.
“I have really credited Girls Rock! for empowering me to go to music school, I got to grow up around all these people that told me that I could do it” Miedema says. “I felt like the weird kid everywhere else, but at camp everyone is weird.”
Every summer, campers ages 6 to 16 form five-piece bands — vocals, guitar, bass, keys, and drums. In just four days, these strangers become rock stars, complete with a band name, a logo, and an original song.
“It’s super hard what we ask them to do in four days,” Miedema says, “but they do it every single time.”
Redefining Music Education
While traditional music education focuses more on theory and history, at Girls Rock! It's about making noise, and discovering music that doesn't need to be polished to be powerful.
“If they are making noise, they are making music.” Love says.
When they get on stage at the end of the week, in front of parents, friends, and fans, the nerves fade away. Success here isn’t about hitting every note, It’s about being seen.
“Success for them is getting up on stage and being true to whatever their creative process is” Miedema says.
The real magic at Girls Rock! doesn't live on the stage, but in the people. “Our community is everything, the parents, campers, volunteers, and people who donate.” Love says. “We are lucky to have a strong community and we are only looking to grow it.”
At Girls Rock! kids are doing more than learning music, they learn the power of their voice. Here, being loud is not only allowed, but encouraged.
