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Sky Academy is the title given to guitar innovator Uli Jon Roth's tuition seminars and concerts.
Uli Jon Roth is a German guitarist, who became famous as Scorpions' lead guitarist, and is one of the earliest contributors to the neoclassical metal genre. He is also the founder of Sky Academy and inventor of the Sky Guitar. He is the older brother of fellow guitarist and artist Zeno Roth (1956–2018).
Sky Academy was first established in May 2006, at the Ralph Freud Theater at the University Campus of Los Angeles. Uli teaches a holistic approach to music making, which comprises lectures, master classes, concentration exercises and special concerts. The teaching emphasis is on awakening and strengthening the students' musical potential and on showing ways of how to connect more deeply with music. This is achieved largely through heightening the general musical awareness level and also by broadening the overall musical and artistic horizon of the students. Uli is seen as an Inspired Teacher who mainly teaches by opening up new vistas of inspiration. His teaching approach encourages the creative, artistic aspects of music making, and even embraces metaphysical subjects such as inspiration, but at the same time it doesn't neglect the importance of craftsmanship.
Inspired Teacher is the highest civilian recognition for University-level teachers in the Republic of India in the form of an in-residence program with the President of India at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi. This recognition is not related to the National Award for teachers, which is the highest recognition for school teachers. The Inspired Teacher honour is instituted by the President of India in 2015 to recognize top performing faculties at the Central Universities and to give a platform to have their voice heard among the top bureaucrats to solicit suggestions from teachers on educational policy matters. Nomination of one faculty member by the respective Central Universities in India for participation to the In-residence Program at the Rashtrapati Bhavan consists of student feedback, teaching quality, and research output analyses. The recognized Inspired Teachers are invited for a one-week-long In-Residence programme with the President of India at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi.
Guest teachers or speakers are another important part of Sky Academy. Usually they tend to share the stage with Roth while he interviews them. So far these have included: Anrew Shulman (Principal Cellist Los Angeles Philharmonic, LA Chamber Orchestra & Conductor) - subjects: Cello, stringed instruments, conducting orchestras, Robby Krieger (The Doors) Subject: song-writing & Q&A, Bruce Dukhov (concert master of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra)- subject: Violin playing, Bach Partita, Ben Woods (Flametal) - Flamenco guitar and dance, Further guest speakers have been Michael-Angelo Batio, Joe Stump, Vernon Reid, Gilby Clarke, Leon Hendrix.
Leon Hendrix is the brother of late American rock guitarist and singer Jimi Hendrix. He is an artist, songwriter and guitarist who began playing the guitar later in life and has released several albums. He is best known for his original artwork. He is father of six and grandfather of four.
Sky Academy 2006 included three extensive concerts which took place during the course of the 5-day seminar. They were designed to invoke the spirit of musical freedom and featured many special guests, apart from Uli's band. Stage guests included Warren De Martini, Don Dokken, Tony Franklin, Rob Pagliari, Chris Poland, Kofi Baker, Chris Impellitteri, Jeff Scott Soto, Francis Buchholz and Robby Krieger.
Donald Maynard Dokken is an American heavy metal vocalist, best known for being the lead singer, occasional guitarist, and founder of the band Dokken. He is known for his vibrato-laden, melodic vocal style which has made him an influential figure in American hard rock and heavy metal.
Anthony James Franklin is an English rock musician, best known for his work on the fretless bass guitar with Roy Harper, The Firm, Jimmy Page, Paul Rodgers, John Sykes' Blue Murder, David Gilmour, Kate Bush, Whitesnake, and most recently with Kenny Wayne Shepherd.
Chris Poland is an American musician, best known for being the former guitarist for American thrash metal band Megadeth from 1984 to 1987 and again for some session work in 2004. During this time, he recorded the albums Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good! (1985), Peace Sells... But Who's Buying? (1986) and The System Has Failed (2004). He is currently the guitarist of the instrumental rock/jazz fusion band OHM, and is known for having appeared on several projects and albums from a variety of different genres. Recently, he has been associated with the progressive metal band Redemption, with whom he has recorded two albums and made a live guest appearance.
In August 2007 Uli held a further 2 Sky Academy concerts and seminar at the Hollywood MI with Paul Gilbert, Michael Angelo Batio, Ule Ritgen, George Bellas, Roy Z, Robby Krieger, Mark Boals and Johnny Hiland.
Paul Brandon Gilbert, is an American hard rock/heavy metal guitarist. He is best known for being the co-founder of the band Mr. Big. He was also a member of Racer X, with whom he released several albums. In 1996, Gilbert launched a solo career, for which he has released numerous solo albums, and featured in numerous collaborations and guest appearances on other musicians' albums.
The first international Sky Academy was in July 2008, as part of the G-TARanaki Guitar Festival in New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand. A different format to the US Sky Academy saw Uli giving three workshops at regional high schools in Waitara, Inglewood and Opunake with guests Gilby Clarke and Vernon Reid. Uli then headlined the TSB Stadium with his Sky Of Avalon band featuring a guesting Alex Skolnick.
GTaranaki, also known as G-TARanaki, was New Zealand's first international guitar festival held in New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand annually from July 2008. The week-long festival brings some of worlds best guitarists to Taranaki to perform, educate and inspire Kiwi guitarists and music fans around New Zealand. G-TARanaki features a celebration of all things guitar with guitarists and bands from a range of genres including Rock, Funk, Classical, Jazz, Blues and Metal.
Gilbert "Gilby" J. Clarke is an American musician, singer, songwriter and record producer best known for a 3-year tenure as the rhythm guitarist of Guns N' Roses, replacing Izzy Stradlin in 1991 during the Use Your Illusion Tour. Following his departure from the group, Clarke went on to forge a solo career as well playing guitar with Slash's Snakepit, Kat Men, Heart, Nancy Sinatra, Kathy Valentine, MC5 and forming his own group Rock Star Supernova with members of Metallica and Mötley Crüe.
Vernon Alphonsus Reid is a British-born American guitarist and songwriter. Reid was the founder and primary songwriter of the rock band Living Colour, Reid was named No. 66 on Rolling Stone magazine's 2004 list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.
A third Sky Academy US seminar was held again in Los Angeles in September 2008, followed by Sky Academy Arizona and Nordenham (Germany). Guests at the concerts included Doug Aldrich and Chris Caffery.
