In this class for beginners, we will be exploring ways to play banjo to accompany songs and dance tunes. Starting with basic right hand down stroke and some easy one or two finger chords you’ll be playing along with the fiddle from the first lesson! Later in the course we will introduce some other traditional styles. Even if you don’t own a banjo yet loaners are available by request.

If you’ve never, or almost never, played guitar, this is the place to start. You’ll learn the essential chords in the most common keys, and how to use Nashville numbers to play in different keys (Note reading is not required). You’ll leave the class with an understanding of rhythm so you can play easily with others, and you’ll have a few basic strum patterns. You’ll be able to play along in our Second Half jam the very first night!

In this Level 2 guitar class, you’ll learn basic picking patterns for familiar tunes that will make it easy to get your thumb and fingers moving over the strings. Then, as these first patterns become comfortable, the course will build your picking pattern repertoire, and you’ll be able to play some of the songs that are well-known for their natural-sounding picking patterns.

Fingerpicking allows the player to emphasize alternating bass strings as well as alternating string choices for the fingers; just a change of one string over for the fingers can change the voicing of a song quite a bit; someone may ask “how’d you do that?”

What you learn in this class can be transferred to other instruments such as Ukulele, Mandolin etc.

Pre-requisite: You should be comfortable making timely chord changes in the keys of G, D, A and E.

We’ll build your repertoire using your current picking patterns and include, where fitting, instrumental intros to feature your fingerstyles. We’ll also play in more keys to get your right hand accustomed to moving across different strings, and add an occasional bass run.

This class is primarily intended to increase your fingerstyle confidence and your ability to choose and use fingerstyle patterns in new songs and different keys.

Wanna have fun jamming? We will be using the flatpick to accompany others and to play lead. In this class you’ll learning how to accompany melodies and also to play them while developing your musical vocabulary for creative expression.

We’ll play songs like Flop-eared Mule, Big Sandy River and Salt Creek, learning both from ear and from music. You’ll also become comfortable with the Nashville Numbering system to help organize your mental picture of songs.

A willingness to have fun is the biggest requirement for this class.

If you are familiar and comfortable playing melody and accompaniment with boom chuck’n bass runs, this is your next stop. We’ll hone the skills we picked up in Guitar 2 Flatpicking and play tunes that are great to sing to and pick. And….we will trade pick’n roles between the players adding an “organic” musical narrative filled with dynamics and textures. Let’s go!

Chillin’ with “fills” is one of the most fun aspects of guitar. We will focus on easy two or three string uke type “partials” that enhance backup or melody for any style. This course also introduces some scales segments and patterns that can be played anywhere up the neck for traditional or modern folk songs. Early intermediate level and up can all enjoy this one.

An introduction to jazz guitar starts with basic left hand jazz chords, familiarizing you with well-known standard swing tunes from the Thirties, Forties and early Fifties. You’ll learn tunes by great songwriting composers of the past such as Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Richard Rodgers, and possibly some early Southwestern swing, made famous by Bob Wills. We’ll also cover basic jazz blues progressions with insights into improvisation.

Jazz guitar requires a chord vocabulary that is different from the basic chords applied to most folk songs. To take this class, you should be familiar with the numerical names of the chords such as I, IV and V7 in basic keys. Bass students can be integrated into the class as well.

If you already know the basic open chords in the key of D, G and A, you are ready for More Mandolin. We will learn new strum patterns, cross-picking, and some simple melodies, all while learning in a group setting, in a fun and sharing environment.

The ukulele (Hawaiian for “Jumping Flea”), commonly known as the uke, is one of the most accessible and fun instruments to play. It was popular in the 1920’s and many songs of the period were accompanied by it. The songs of the Roaring Twenties are particularly suited to it as well as the Hawaiian Hapa-Haoli songs (written by American popular songwriters). It sounds great at the beach. The songs are fun to play and ukes sound good together. Tunes such as “Mister Sandman”, “Five Foot Two”,and Hawaiian favorites such as “Lovely Hula Hands” and “Little Grass Shack” are lively and pleasing. It’s a part of Americana that fits in the tradition of what we now call folk music. Students should know basic chords, I, IV and V in C, G, D, A, and E, and a few 7 and minor chords.

Get ready to sing your heart out! We will sing all manner of folk songs, plus we will focus on songs of the Southern Appalachian mountains as well as close harmony of early country music. We will start with a strong feel for the main melody, timing, and phrasing, and work from there to find higher and lower harmonies in a supportive and friendly group setting. No need for extensive vocal experience or ability to read music. It is helpful for participants to be able to match basic pitch, which we will practice.

Build a repertoire of Irish and Scottish tunes you can sing to your own accompaniment. In this course, you’ll learn Celtic pronunciation and vocal techniques, along with the rhythms associated with this lively style of music. Instrumentalists (strings, flutes, drums, etc.) will pick up the chords and rhythms to back up singers, and singers will learn how to accompany themselves within this style of music.

All instruments are welcome.

Supplies: Please, no taps for this intro class. Comfortable oxford/derby shoes with no tread are best (un-painted leather soles preferred). For the sake of protecting the floor, please avoid black or painted soles, or shoes that otherwise would scuff the floor.

Ages: 10 to 210. (Dancers 7-9 welcome, accompanied by an enrolled adult)

Description: Get ready for an Appalachian dance party! American Clogging has evolved with a standardized language that allows dancers from all parts of the U.S. (and beyond!) to share choreography and participate in common “fun dance” events, led by a caller.

The first clogging teams emerged from square dance competitions at the Mountain Dance and Folk Festival (founded in 1930 by Bascom Lamar Lunsford) in Asheville, North Carolina–as a percussive method of executing a square dance ( they were trying to win the competition!). As tourists and other square dancers grew interested in learning Western North Carolina’s exciting and athletic new style of dancing, places like Fontana Village, NC, began to offer lessons and developed names for step sequences to make the style teachable and cue-able—and they introduced clogging line dances (dancing without partners or figures). Our class will mostly focus on these line dance skills and routines. Today, the hoedowns and figure dancing continues, but people also enjoy line dances to all genres of music including country, bluegrass, old time, hip hop, show tunes, and music from various decades.

You will be surprised how much you can pick up! Dance experience (of any kind) is not required. Rhythm and coordination ARE skills that can be practiced and developed. Clogging is a “family” affair—and participants of all ages are encouraged.

Do you count your steps? Imagine clogging to your favorite songs for exercise.

In the class, we will introduce you to clogging “cue sheets” and how to read (or even write!) them—this is our method and language for writing down dances to share with others, which will give you access to volumes of choreography—free and online!

Irish Session Tunes – Appreciation and Learning for Melody Instruments

You can certainly play Irish music by yourself (and you should, at least for practice!) but there’s nothing more enjoyable than a good Irish music session with folks who play at your skill level. In this class you’ll not only learn some starter tunes but you’ll learn the difference between simply playing the notes of a tune and playing a tune “Irish style,” how Irish sessions function, how to find or start the right session for your ability, session “etiquette” and more. Melody instruments only: fiddle, penny whistle, flute, concertina, accordion, mandolin, harp etc. Guitars and bouzoukis are fine if you want to learn to play melody lines – we won’t learn accompaniment in this class. Participants must have at least moderate abilities on their instruments.

Do you love old-time dance tunes?  Do you have the basics of your instrument down and are you looking for a class to help build up your repertoire?  Look no further, because this is the class for you! This is class will be based entirely on old-time instrumental tunes played for contra and square dances.   Some examples of tunes we might cover are: “Shove that Pigs Foot,” “Fortune,” “Take Me Back to Georgia,” “Sandy Boys,” “Flop-Eared Mule,” “Old Grey Eagle,” “Soldier’s Joy,” and “Big Sciota.”  We will also cover a handful of waltzes if time allows. Although some of these tunes may have verses that we may include, the emphasis will be on learning the instrumentals, bringing them up to a rollicking dance tempo, and refining the group dynamics.  You’ll end the term with several new old time tunes under your belt and be ready to go help everyone else kick up their heels!

Students of rhythm instruments (guitar, ukulele, mandolin, bass etc.) should be familiar with the following chords: C, G, D, A, and Em.  Although we will play pieces at a moderate tempo, students should be able to change between these chords comfortably while maintaining a steady rhythm.  Advanced mandolin students may also choose to join the fiddles on the melody.

Students of melody instruments (fiddle, mandolin, whistle, concertina etc.), should be comfortable playing in D, G, and A.

Students of the banjo should be comfortable with three major chords of both the “Open G” tuning and the “Double D” tuning, and should be comfortable with the basic “bum-ditty” clawhammer stroke.