Workshops

/Events/
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FreshGrass Festival

MASS MoCA 1040 MASS MoCA Way, North Adams, MA, MA

An opportunity for enthusiasts to both appreciate and participate, FreshGrass is a family-friendly festival, brimming with bright talent on four stages, and also in our galleries, brick-lined courtyards, and grassy field, produced in partnership by MASS MoCA, the FreshGrass Foundation, and No Depression.

$99

Old Time 7 Americana Fiddling Workshop

The Concord Conservatory of Music 1317 Main Street, Concord, MA

Grab your instrument and learn Old-Time and Americana Fiddling Songs that you can play with your friends.  Join renowned fiddlers Laura Cortese, violin, and Valerie Thompson, cello as they lead our workshop. This workshop is not just for beginners, but also for those doubling on another instrument.  We'll use several tunes to learn techniques, and will work hard on them so that you know the techniques and some new tunes when you leave.  This is a great workshop if you've been studying privately and want to start playing with other people.  There will be lots of playing, as the best way to learn is with fingers on strings jamming with friends! Bring your enthusiasm and your violin, cello, guitar, banjo, double bass, or mandolin. Ages: 8 to adults, you must have two years experience on your instrument. You will be taught by ear, no music is necessary. All are welcome! Fee: $40 per person.  Register online here.

$40

Tony Trischka Banjo Workshop

Dobbs Ferry Woman's Club house 54 Clinton Avenue, Hastings on Hudson, , NY

This will be a 3 hour hands-on workshop, geared for all levels from beginning to advanced. It would be best if you can at least play a few tunes and know some of the rolls. (If you pay for the workshop though and just want to watch that is ok as well.) Tony will be covering: ways to improve your timing (and generally achieve a professional sound), playing the syllables (a very important Earl Scruggs concept), back-up ideas, developing solos, and improvisational strategies. He’ll also be touching upon melodic and single string styles as well. More advanced topics can covered if people are interested. In addition to prepared tabs and materials that he wants to go through, he strongly encourages student participation. Feel free to ask any questions you may have and he encourages you to bring a video or aural recording device. Here is some background on him if you do not know his amazing accomplishments. Tony is not only considered amongst the most innovative of banjo players, he is one of its most respected and sought after instructors creating fifteen instructional books as well as a series of DVDs. In 2009, he launched the groundbreaking Tony Trischka School of Banjo, an advanced, interactive, online instructional site that is the banjo home for students from around the world. He will be inducted into the American Banjo Museum Hall of Fame for his work in education and instruction in Sept of 2017. http://www.tonytrischka.com/bio/ Price $75 per person To reserve a spot contact Tara Linhardt at [email protected] We need at least 6 people committed to run the workshop so reserve your spot right away so we know if we have enough folks. And please tell anyone … Read More »

$75

Guitar & Mandolin Camp North

Prindle Pond Conference Center 19 Harrington Rd, Charlton, MA

Mandolin Camp North April 13 - April 15 Guitar & Mandolin Camp North is a three-day celebration of the mandolin, featuring instruction, demonstrations, concerts, and jamming presented by some of the best and best-known guitarists and mandolinists on the planet.  They provide in-depth instruction in Bluegrass, Old Time, Blues, Classical and Jazz/Swing styles.  We always have top-flight support staff on hand as well to lead classes on those instruments and provide support onstage at faculty concerts and demos and at the many jams that run throughout the weekend.

Banjo Camp North

Prindle Pond Conference Center 19 Harrington Rd, Charlton, MA

Banjo Camp North is a three-day celebration of the banjo, featuring instruction, demonstrations, concerts, and jamming presented by some of the best and best-known bluegrass and old-time musicians on the planet.  They provide in-depth instruction in Bluegrass, Old Time, Blues, Classical and Jazz/Swing styles.  We always have top-flight support staff on hand as well to lead classes on those instruments and provide support onstage at faculty concerts and demos and at the many jams that run throughout the weekend.

Ashokan Bluegrass Camp

The Ashokan Center 477 Beaverkill Road, Olivebridge, NY

This first-ever bluegrass camp at Ashokan will include instrument-specific instruction as well as singing classes, electives, and lots and lots of jamming. The inaugural camp features some of the best in bluegrass: Tony Trischka, Claire Lynch, Matt Flinner, Becky Buller, Scott Nygaard and Mike Bub. Don’t miss this chance to learn from and jam with some of the best musicians and teachers in bluegrass music.

$345

Lowell Banjo and Fiddle Contest

Boardinghouse Park 40 French St., Lowell, MA

The 39th Annual Lowell Banjo and Fiddle Contest (Platinum sponsored by the BBU) will be held on September 7th, 2019 in Boarding House Park, in Lowell Massachusetts with workshops at 10AM, organized jams at 11AM and the contest beginning at noon.  Informal jams happen all day long.  For more details visit: http://lowellsummermusic.org/page.php?wpage=root/eventdetail.htm&Event=LSMS-E67225  

Free

FreshGrass Festival

MASS MoCA 1040 MASS MoCA Way, North Adams, MA, MA

FreshGrass is a wonderland of traditional and cutting edge bluegrass and roots music, tucked appropriately into a 19th-century factory turned 21st-century museum in the Berkshire mountains of northwestern Massachusetts. An opportunity for enthusiasts to both appreciate and participate, FreshGrass is family-friendly and brimming with the brightest talent not just on our four stages, but also in our galleries, brick-lined courtyards, and grassy fields. MASS MoCA is one of the world’s premier centers for making and showing the best art of our time. The museum’s vast galleries and multiplicity of stages — both inside and out — offer artists unprecedented opportunities to make and present large-scale sculpture, inventive theater, roots music writers, ‌and big new musical ideas that will confound expectations…and delight you.

$3 – $350

Online Rollick

The Ashokan Center 477 Beaverkill Road, Olivebridge, NY

Old-time immersion weekend ONLINE! Starts TODAY! ashokancenter.org/online-rollick-2020

$50

Fiddle Hell Online

Online MA

Our schedule and instructor list are posted at https://FiddleHell.org, and registration is open for Fiddle Hell Online, April 15-18, 2021. FHO will have 200 live workshops to learn from, 35 live concerts to enjoy, and 35 live jam sessions to join on Zoom, for fiddle, mandolin, cello, guitar, old-time banjo, and singing. All sessions will be replayable (and can be slowed down) for 3 months after the event. More than 100 instructors -- experienced & supportive teachers, and wonderful & inspiring players -- will cover Bluegrass, Blues, Cajun, Cape Breton, East European, Electric, Québécois, Gypsy Jazz, Irish, Jazz, Klezmer, Latin, Mexican, New Acoustic, New England, Old-Time Southern, Scandinavian, Scottish, Swing, Texas, and Western Swing styles. Attending FHO is not only an amazing experience, it’s a way for you to support and connect with these wonderful instructors and performers. Bluegrass instructors & performers include Sharon Gilchrist, Andy Statman, Erica Brown, Richie Brown, Margaret Gerteis, Billy Contreras, Darol Anger, Ellen Carlson, Jeremy Kittel, Alex Hargreaves, Matt Shipman, Peter Anick, Joy Adams, Andy Reiner. A few instructors in other styles include: Kevin Burke, Wendy MacIsaac, Michael Doucet, Jay Ungar & Molly Mason, Hanneke Cassel, Jake Blount, Mike Block, Cathy Fink, ... With 270 sessions + 100 instructors + 3 months of video replays, Fiddle Hell Online is of great value to players and listeners alike. Previous attendees said that their broad opportunities for learning (tunes, styles, instruments, techniques), gains in musical inspiration, and renewed connections with the community were priceless! And it's great to have a front row seat for every session. As in the past, discounts are available for seniors and young musicians, and there are further discounts and giveaways for early bird signups. Scholarships based on financial need are available. … Read More »