Susan Cattaneo

Me, Myself and Inspiration (Level 1-5) 

What is your origin story? What are the wonderful details that all add up to making you who you are? And how can they be harnessed into writing great songs?  Join me as we explore the roots, myths and magic that make you into the person (and songwriter) you are. We’ll dive into specific songwriting prompts to get you thinking about your story and what makes you unique. Then, we’ll work to craft these into songs.

Cowboy Songs – The Best of the West (Level 2-3) 

This workshop explores the magic behind some of the most classic and unforgettable cowboy songs. We’ll talk about what makes them work and then play and sing them together.  Great songs don’t have to be complicated, and this hands-on class will show you the beauty behind three chords and the truth.

John Corzine

“Man on the porch” (i.e. jam’s and more) Instructor

Dave Firestine

Mandolin FUNdamentals (Level 1) 
This course is designed for the beginning mandolin player. No experience required. However, if you are a more advance player and want to review some fundamental techniques, this is the perfect opportunity. We will begin with stretching, breathing, relaxing, and remembering to have fun! I will check your mandos for correct setup, strap setup, holding the mando and the pick. We will spend time playing with the proper pick direction, giving you the secrets to playing smoothly and at speed. We will learn some easy tunes, practicing the techniques described above. Join us for some fun, no shoes required.

Fiddle Tune Extravaganza All Instruments (All Levels) 
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 jamming world, some 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.

Katie Glassman

Classic Country Fiddle (Level 2-3)

Great Texas-style fiddlers like Bob Wills grew up playing foot-stomping breakdowns and fiddle tunes for contests and square dances, then brought their fiddles to the bandstand to join the band on classic country weepers and cowboy songs. In this class, we’ll focus on playing fiddle on those early country favorites by Hank Williams, Loretta Lynn, and the Sons of the Pioneers. Then we’ll two-step over to some Ray Price country shuffles with tasty melodic embellishments and longbow style. Expand your jam repertoire, improve your fiddle skills, and kick up your heels.

Western Swing Improvisation (Level 3-4)

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. We’ll learn several twin fiddle tunes to capture the styling that gets us to the bowings and embellishments of the bands of that era, vital to capturing their authentic sound. After learning the melody and twin fiddle parts, we’ll delve into my 5 key ingredients to improvising a Western Swing solo. Practicing each “ingredient” with creativity and using guided repetition to solidify your skills, you’ll become a Western Swing improviser in no time!

Lewis Mock

Greg Schochet

Jennifer Scott

Cosy Sheridan

Guitar: Rhythms and Riffs (Level 2-3) 

We will learn a few percussive right hand picking patterns, and we’ll experiment with playing those new picking patterns while adding a moving chordal riff in the left hand. We’ll learn a few songs that use these techniques. (And then we sing!) We will have fun while we make our guitar playing an engine of forward energy.

Beginning Guitar / Uukulele (Level 1) 

In this class we will learn some simple three chord songs. We will also learn a basic strumming pattern, and maybe even an easy picking pattern!  If you have been playing for a while now, or if you’ve just picked up the guitar, this class is for you!

Steve Smith

Essential Mandolin Vitamins (Level 2-3) 

This class will look at using high and low drones for solos on instrumental and vocal music including melodies and improvisation. We will also include tremolo technique and apply it to the same principle for bluegrass and roots styles. Attentions to cleaning up the right hand technique including a good chop and other styles of rhythm playing to get that sound and drive.  Handouts included.

Breaking new ground for improvisation (Level 3-4) 

We’ll work on developing an approach to soloing and improv over various different types of chord progressions in swing and jazz tunes. We’ll explore using scales, patterns, and arpeggios to negotiate the more complex chord progressions found outside of familiar bluegrass and jam tunes to expand your comfort zone and how you may tie some of this back in to those more familiar tunes. We’ll spend some time on groove too. How to swing and how to change it up. Handouts available.

Rene Worst

Bass Basics  (Level 1-2) 

We’ll cover left- and right-hand positions—and coordination between the two! Learn how to find the notes on the bass with a variety of song styles and feels: bluegrass, country, classic pop and swing

From the Bottom Up! (Level 3-4)

Take your bass playing to the next level by stepping up your technique. Walking lines, swing, Western swing plus Bossa Nova & even something funky, plus a little functional harmony to spice up your lines and solos!

Charlie Koch

Songs To Make You Love Chords (Level 2-3) 

This  class is aimed at improving your guitar skills. The first song we will learn will teach us how to make transitions within a single chord;  we will learn the major triad, major seventh, dominant seventh, and major sixth chord. The next song will teach us how to use chords which move us from one chord to another. Our third song will combine what we have learned in the first two songs.  We’ll have fun and learn some cool tunes!