Classes

One fictional piece of trivia is that Pandora’s Box was actually a concertina! In this one-season workshop, you’ll see what worlds it contains, its ins and outs, its whims and wheezes, what makes it tick and click and the kind of person you need to be in order to stay upright while pushing its many,…

Let’s wander in the world of insectophilic folk music! In this two-session class, we’ll learn about and sing about insects. There’ll be a bit of biology, taxonomy, and natural history, mixed into tidbits of folklore, plenty of singing, and perhaps a representative specimen!

This two-session class will cover rhythm playing using fingerstyle grooves/rhythm guitar in open G tuning. We will learn the chord shapes for I, IV, and V.  These concepts/approaches are adapted from delta blues and banjo techniques, and our emphasis will be to find new possibilities for rhythm guitar playing by using an open tuning in…

This two-session class will cover rhythm and lead guitar playing utilizing fingerstyle techniques in an ensemble or jam. We will explore possibilities within standard tuning and common chord shapes (i.e., first position chords and CAGED system). We’ll also discuss various ways to use a capo to create different textures and harmonic/melodic ideas in an ensemble….

This two-session class is perfect for guitarists who are ready to move beyond strumming and learn the essentials of flatpicking for bluegrass music. Forget about complicated techniques, we’re going to focus on getting comfortable playing clear and rhythmic melodies and bass lines. We’ll address core alternate picking technique, learning how to hold the pick correctly,…

Ukulele has a time and place, and folk music is most certainly one of them! In this one-session class, we’ll talk about the various ways in which you can get more mileage out of your instrument: general etiquette, strum patterns, clawhammer ukulele, chords and chord variations, tunings, etc.

Consisting of 7,640-ish islands and 187-ish languages, the Philippines has quite the halo-halo, or mixture, of cultures. It might also surprise you to know there are a goodly number of tunes out there that sit quite well on your instrument or vocables of choice. As your resident Filipino staff member, in this two-session class I’ll…

Give those fingers a rest and join Hubby for an hour of sanctified blues. In this one-session, class, we’ll listen to some favorite guitar evangelists, choirs, and more.

This one-session workshop welcomes players of all levels who want to keep their axe in top shape. Learn the anatomy of guitars and mandolins, from headstock to tailpiece, and understand how each part contributes to sound and playability. Evaluate your instrument’s condition and identify potential problems. Topics include neck relief, action, intonation, bridge adjustments, fret…

 Start each day singing!  This two-session class will include both vocal warmups – Developing good breath support has perhaps never been a greater idea – and lots of singing.   We’ll be singing primarily by ear when we’re in class, mostly drawing on a traditional and contemporary songs and rounds.  You are encouraged to record the…

We will use the camp concert stage and sound system to practice your songs, while going over best practices for sound checks, mic technique, instrument amplification and performance tips. Learn a bit more about audio connections, avoiding rings and “bad sound”, how the gear works, and bringing your best game when getting on stage.

Carolina Chocolate Drops began by studying at the feet of black fiddler Joe Thompson. Along with his cousin Odell, Joe played a Piedmont style of string band music. In this two-session class, we will break down some of their repertoire while drilling the techniques that make them unique.

We can build our guitar skills while learning some of my favorite songs by singer-songwriters.  We will use skills that look at both the right and the left hand.  We will learn songs that have interesting chord progressions and melodies, descending bass lines and sometimes a simple riff. Songs to sing when you’re alone in…

This one-session workshop will focus on playing fingerstyle leads utilizing common chord shapes/harmony (dyad, triads). We will focus solely on lead playing, phrasing and rhythmic ideas for a solo. This class will be similar to the Fingerstyle Concepts in Standard Tuning class, but with a more in-depth approach to playing leads.

If you’re a guitarist eager to explore the mandolin, this two-session class is for you. We’ll take your existing knowledge and show you how it translates to the mandolin fretboard, focusing on the core techniques and fingerboard knowledge needed for playing rhythm. We’ll cover how familiar guitar chords transfer to the mandolin, including open chords,…

Sally Rogers is especially known for her songs that invite everyone to sing along. She will guide participants in the process of songwriting that invites the listeners in.  We will compose one group-written song using the techniques that Sally will share. Participants are also invited to write their own songs with the remaining time while…

How can we make our songs better? How do we decide when they’re done? Do you find that you can get a song started – but you can’t get beyond the first or second verse? The process of editing can look like many different things: finishing a song, or maybe re-arranging the verses. It might…

How do we find the story inside us? And once we found it, how do we coax it into the world? How do we gently blow on a little flame of one or two lines and make it into a song? In this two-session class  we will look at the different ways we can go…

Josh White – renowned songster, actor, and political activist – had many gospel songs in his repertoire. In this two-session guitar class we will focus on his religious tunes in open D. We will take our time breaking down the style and techniques that made Josh White one of the greats.

Sally and the Vox Hunters (Armand and Benedict) will share how they find great old songs to sing and play. In this two-session class, you will learn how to explore archives in local libraries, at the Library of Congress and in those dusty books on your bookshelves to find those musical gems. We will also…