Schedule

Sunday, June 2nd, 2019

• 4:00 Check-in & Move-in
• 5:30 Supper & Welcome
• 6:30 New Camper Orientation
• 7:00 Instructor Concert & Course Descriptions

Monday-Friday

• 8:00-8:45 Breakfast
• 9:00-10:15 Class Sessions 1
• 10:30-11:45 Class Sessions 2
• 12:00-12:45 Lunch
• 1:00-2:15 Class Sessions 3
• 2:30-3:45 Class Sessions 4
• 3:45-4:15 Break
• 4:15-5:30 Jams & Music Circles
• 5:30-6:15 Supper
• 7:00 Sunday – Instructor Class Descriptions/Presentations
• 7:00 Monday, Tuesday & Thursday – Instructor Concerts
• 7:00 Wednesday – Contra Dance (instructors bring the music, campers bring their dancing shoes)
• 7:00 Friday – Student Concert (all are encouraged to participate)
• 9:00-9:30 Monday, Tuesday & Thursday – Mercantile open to purchase Instructor music or other items after instructor concert.
• 9:30 Friday – End of Student Concert All Camp Harmonium
• 10:30 Friday  – Biscuits & Gravy (a nighttime tradition!)

Saturday, June 8th 2019

• 8:00-8:45 Breakfast & Farewell
• 9:00 Check-out and Move-out – SAFE TRAVELS!

2019 Classes

Bass

Class descriptions forthcoming from instructor Rene Worst

Banjo

Banjo (All Levels) – Gerald Jones

Banjo classes with Gerald Jones will cover tips and tricks on how to sound like you know more than you do. Simple ways to find any chord you need, the power of harmonized scales for solos and backup, improve right hand dexterity, find the melody using chord shapes, play solos in different octaves and keys, and more. Gerald will cover his Redneck Ear Training, Red Neck Music Theory, Jam Session Survival Techniques, and Alternate Tunings. Some classical, jazz, Irish, blues, and fake clawhammer styles are also offered. Gerald will tailor his classes to the needs, wants, and levels of the students.

Fiddle

Old Time Fiddle (Level 1-2) – Gretchen Priest

After learning a tune; then we raise the “fun meter”adding Old Time bowing techniques, drones & double stops. We will work on how to listen to the structure of melody and the “conversation” that builds in every tune!  Learn by ear, but there will be hand outs too.

Texas Fiddle (Level 2-3) – Katie Glassman

Brush up on your foundations of fiddling through the colorful genre of Texas-style fiddle tunes. Texas fiddling is built up of reels, hornpipes, waltzes, rags, polkas, blues and western swing tunes. This class will focus on learning tunes with variations. Much of the repertoire crosses over to bluegrass and other regional old-time styles. Improve your fiddle skills, learn some hip tunes and take your playing to the next level. Bring a recording device.

Irish Fiddle (Level 3-4) – Gretchen Priest

Learn Reels & Jigs; then we add interchangeable rhythmic variations. Learn practice tips to address the mystery of speed bowing with ease. Some by ear and also hand outs with bowings.

Bluegrass fiddle improvisation (Level 3-4) – Gretchen Priest

Learn how to build on a tune or a solo with kick offs, variations, double stops, bowings, and exit strategy!

Western Swing (Level 3-4) – Katie Glassman

Western Swing music found its roots in country, breakdown fiddling and jazz. The combination of these regional styles formed a unique string-based, big-band sound in the 40s and 50s centered around the seminal Western Swing band, Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys. Who were the Western Swing greats? What tunes did they play and how do you play them so they sound just right? Learn several invigorating twin fiddle tunes from the repertoire. The twin fiddling stylings lead to the authentic bowings and embellishments to sound just like the bands of that era. After learning some tunes, we’ll delve into improvising a swing solo. When I improvise, there are 5 key ingredients I use to build my solos: listen, melody, language, harmony and rhythm. Learn the how to’s and demystify the art of swing improvisation with the Fiddle School improvisation philosophy. Bring a recording device.

Guitar

Fingerstyle Guitar (Level 2-3) – Greg Schochet

Description forthcoming

Swing Guitar Repertoire (Level 2-3) – Sylvia Herold

Learn to accompany the Great Songs of the ‘30s and ‘40s! We’ll cover fun-to-sing gems from jazz ballads to Western roadhouse romps. Come prepared to play a solo (if inclined) or sing lead.

Creating Basic Bluegrass Breaks (Level 2-3) – Greg Schochet

You’re in the jam circle, the singer looks at you and says “take it!” If your usual response is a blank stare or frantic refusal, this class is for you! We’ll look at a few different ways to fashion a break for standard singing songs and even the dreaded fiddle-tune-you-don’t-know. Using chord tones and scales, we’ll learn how to find melodies and create content to play over changes.

Adventurous Folk Guitar (Level 2-3) – Sylvia Herold

Sing and play moody traditional folk songs and the cream of modern songwriters. Guitar arrangements will be approachable but with an eye to exploring open-sounding chords, power strums, riffs, bass lines and more.

Flatpicking Guitar  (Level 3-4) – Tim May

For students with experience playing solos who want to explore ways of being more creative. We’ll look at building musical vocabulary and putting it to use in real life situations: minor and major blues open and closed positions, arpeggio and scale exercises closed and open, up the neck. How to improvise over circle of fifths and changes with no obvious ‘key center’, targeting chord tones and more! We’ll do most everything by ear but some handouts will be provided.

Mandolin

Fun with old Time Mandolin Mandolin (Level 2-3) – Dave Firestine

In this class we will learn some old time fiddle tunes, mostly by ear in a relatively non-threatening atmosphere. We will discuss traditional Appalachian musical traditions, including both melody and backup styles. We will also review some aspects of basic mandolin techniques, and practice strategies to keep things fun and evolving.

Mandolin (Level 2-3) – Gerald Jones

Mandolin classes with Gerald Jones will cover tips and tricks on how to sound like you know more than you do. Simple ways to find any chord you need, the power of harmonized scales for solos and backup, improve right hand dexterity, how find the melody with pentatonic scales, play most scales using simple four note finger patterns, easy arpeggios, play solos in different octaves and keys, and more. Gerald will cover his Redneck Ear Training, Red Neck Music Theory, and Jam Session Survival Techniques. Bluegrass, classical, jazz, Irish, blues, and rock styles are also offered. Gerald will tailor his classes to the needs, wants, and levels of the students.

Bluegrass Mandolin (Level 3-4) – Tim May

In bluegrass, improvisation is king, and we’ll look at the tools you need to do it well. We’ll look at what great players do when they create interesting solos: targeting chord tones and drawing from a vocabulary of different scales and patterns, like the major blues, minor blues, etc.  We’ll also look at exercises for improving tone, volume and speed, and some theory-based exercises (knowledge of music theory is not a prerequisite), and talk about ways of practicing to make the most of your time. We’ll look at how our mandolin heroes like Bill Monroe, Sam Bush, and Jesse McReynolds approach things and steal some of their ideas.

Voice

Let’s Sing Together (All Levels) – Jennifer Scott

Using a variety of roots music styles, we will sing together in a group in 2 and 3 part harmony. All levels of singers welcome!

Technique and Performance Skills for Singers (All Levels) – Jennifer Scott

Each day we’ll warm up our voices and work on skills that will make singing seem more effortless! Elements of breath, flexibility and tone will be used to make us more confident as we then work on making our individual performances more personal and polished. Students should have one or two songs they can bring to class to work on individually. Repertoire will also be provided.

Songwriting

Additional Class Descriptions Forthcoming From Instructor Cosy Sheridan

Rocking, Swinging, Counting, Theorizing, and Everything That’s Not Limited to an Instrument

Old Time Fiddle Tune Extravaganza On Any Instrument (All Levels) – Dave Firestine

Do you need some new cool tunes? There are classic tunes that many of us know; we are now ready to add some new material to our repertoire. In this class we will explore tunes in the old time world, old and some relatively new. You can learn the melodies, or chords, or both (you will get extra credit for both). All normal instruments are welcome. Please let me know ahead of time if you plan to bring a Tuba or Theremin.

Western Swing Band (All Levels) – Raul Reynoso

Have you always pined to be in a western swing band, playing songs like “Take Me Back to Tulsa,” “Four or Five Times” and “Faded Love?”  Well, pine no more!  There is nothing more fun than putting together a Big Ol’ Band!  Raul will work with you on style, presentation, singing, chords and solos. Make sure you bring your boots to perform at Friday’s student concert!