Full Class Descriptions

Caution: Innovation Present

A standard format at many music teaching events is to have a performer, who may or may not be a good teacher, teaching one tune painstakingly by ear per workshop. Not here. Besides having consistently excellent teachers, Camp also has some innovative formats, so that you can learn a lot more each day than at your typical camps.

Folk Orchestra: Greek Music and Beyond, with Kaila Flexer: When you register, you will receive lead sheets for two tunes, composed by the instructor, along with some suggestions about how to practice them. Kaila will arrange on the fly during the workshop, demonstrating how to go from simple lead sheet to polished performance. This process is one of her specialties.

Introduction to Blues on Orff Instruments, Accordion, and Violin, with Sarah Noll: Orff instruments are xylophone-like percussion instruments which Sarah uses to teach schoolchildren. If she can teach blues to fifth graders, she can teach blues to you. Students will have the choice of playing on Orffs (where there are no wrong notes), accordion, violin, or any combination of these instruments. The Orff class was a huge success last year, and this year, you will have more chances to use this gentle aid to imrprovising.

Conjunto Polka Styles with Lauro Guajardo: Consummate master of Tex-Mex button accordion, Lauro will show the ins and outs of styling for piano accordionists.

The Twisted Cabaret with Kaila Flexer and Henri Ducharme: For those in the know, this is the successor to the old Punk Rock Accordion Workshop. We’ll learn, from the ground up, a tune by the Dresden Dolls in a format appropriate for absolute beginners all the way up to experienced players.

Individual and Group Practice with Instructors: All campers will receive a music book of songs learned at Camp, and here’s your chance to begin practicing those tunes, by yourself or with others if you wish, under the direction of instructors who will rove around from student to student. It all begins with instructors playing some of their tunes so you can see how the pros do it.

Body Percussion with Keith Terry: Using the oldest instrument on the planet -- the human body -- we clap, slap, snap, step and vocalize our way through some very fun and funky, original and traditional rhythmic music. BODY MUSIC is an effective way of internalizing rhythmic work, which enhances the development of time, timing,phrasing, listening skills, independence, coordination and ensemble awareness. It is a useful tool for anyone interested in increasing their rhythmic skills.

Gypsy Ensemble Master Class with Stuart Brotman: All students will receive music for a few Gyypsy songs before camp, and will be put in touch with other nearby students to practice in duets and trios. During the month before camp, you will practice together; at Camp, Stuart will work with the more advanced ensembles to fix whatever is wrong. This class uses a Master Class format: as Stuart works with one ensembles, all the students can learn a lot by listening and observing. After an hour, Sarah Noll will continue the same format with beginning students.

Klezmer with Stuart Brotman: Mr. Klezmer will teach the notes and the feeling to beginning and intermediate students.

French with Lou Jacklich: This advanced class will get technical with fancy moves for the right and left hand. Lou is a consummate showman and you will come away amazing your friends and confounding your enemies.

Bass Technique with Henri Ducharme: Henri will take you through a set of exercises to improve your bass technique.

Conjunto Jam, Klezmer Jam: Each day will end with a jam session with the whole enchilada: playing, dancing, and singing. You will receive jam tunes for various ability levels before camp.