Last Friday, over 30 Novato students got the chance to hang out with rock stars and even play their own compositions for critique at the 13th Annual Grammy Day at SF State University.

Students from both Marin Oaks High School and the Marin School of Arts and Technology made up a small percentage the 800 bay area students that attended the day-long conference in San Francisco.

The conference, organized by the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences Inc. (who award the GRAMMYs) and its non-profit the GRAMMY Foundation, is a chance for high school students interested in a career in music to learn about all aspects of the business.

The conference’s many workshops included sessions on studio work and using turntables, and some provided opportunities to play songs for virtuoso guitarist Joe Satriani and Journey keyboardist and Novato resident Jonathan Cain.

Two Marin Oaks students who attended the conference, Bobby and Chris Frazer (who are twins), went in the hopes of one day following in the footsteps of their father, GRAMMY-winning studio engineer David Frazer. Both took the opportunity to learn about the music biz, but Bobby the guitarist also made sure to catch Satriani’s workshop. When asked what it was like watching the guitar god in action, Bobby replied, “He seemed like a nice guy.”

Is Bobby hoping to make career in music? “Hopefully. It’s on the ‘to do’ list.”