This survey of popular social dance styles—two-step, waltz, swing, blues—and potentially zydeco or salsa—will focus on the lead/follow connection, musicality, and rhythm. The class aims to help you be more comfortable partner dancing and to have fun!

We’ll use a few different methods to think about improvisation—building off of and varying melody lines, working from an understanding of a song’s harmonic structure, and developing our musical intuition and understanding of a style. Come have fun and gain comfort improvising! All instruments are welcome.

A class for ‘ukulele students who are looking to really challenge themselves. We’ll refine our advanced techniques, unpack the subtleties of harmony, do a little bit of arranging, and learn how to create your own roadmaps to jamming. We’ll explore some of the classics and learn about the development and history of our humble instrument. Must be comfortable playing songs with both picking and strumming and have a general understanding of how melody, harmony, and rhythm work together. Bring your questions and let’s dig deep!

Are you a lover of both swing music and the ‘ukulele? Then this class is right for you! In this class we’ll look at strategies to comp and solo in a swingin’ kind of way. Learn about seventh chords, ways to navigate the fretboard, and explore the wide world of swing music. Must be comfortable with basic chords and the ability to pick. A great class for those who want to take their ‘ukulele to a swing jam.

Listening to music and talking about it can be as fun as playing it. Through guided listening sessions across many genres, you’ll gain an appreciation for a wider breadth of music. I will guide you through the key moments and concepts to listen for, and we’ll discuss what we’re hearing as a group. Come and expand your playlist! Open to literally anyone and everyone; all levels and all instruments.

This class is all about understanding why one chord moves to the next, so that you can get the most out of those magical moments of tension and resolution. We will begin with the basic chords: 1, 4, and 5, and progress into more complex ideas such as diminished chords and suspended chords. At every step, we will be using the real harmonic choices of composers like James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, and Stevie Wonder to understand how these ideas are applied in some of the greatest songs ever written. Students will also have the opportunity to bring in their own songs to workshop the harmony and integrate these new ideas.

Start your ukulele journey or strengthen the basics in a fun, supportive setting. You’ll learn the most common chords and practice switching between them smoothly, keeping a steady beat with a consistent strumming pattern, and singing while you play. Build your repertoire with well-loved classics and new favorites. Head home with a solid foundation, a set of beginner-friendly arrangements, and practical steps to continue your musical growth. Come experience this approachable, joyful instrument and open the door to so much more!

Part instruction and part jam, this class invites ukulele players and other musicians with limited group experience to make music together in a welcoming, safe space. We’ll use easygoing songs, many with four chords or fewer, to build core jamming skills. You’ll get clear guidance on reading chord sheet notation, adapting material to your level, using active listening skills to lock in with others, and leading songs effectively. Each session will feature a different musical theme to keep things engaging and fun.

Yes, you read that right. In this class we will be learning a variety of surf music tunes arranged specifically for solo fingerstyle guitar. We’ll work on developing greater finger independence in order to play melody and bass parts at the same time, creating what I like to call “the illusion of more.” By the end of the class you’ll have a nice repertoire of unique and interesting solo guitar pieces.

In this class we’ll learn and play Irish and Scottish traditional music as an ensemble. Fiddle tunes, hornpipes, waltzes, jigs, strathspeys, and reels . . .here is an elegance to these traditional melodies, and the feeling of playing them with a group of other musicians is quite sublime. Open to all acoustic instruments.

This class will explore the process and simple joy of songwriting in a supportive and trusting environment as we look at the art of blending words, music, story, and spirit into songs of our own. Our goal will be to find new ways to strengthen our unique perspective and style. We’ll look at exercises and ideas for how to help free up thoughts and expression, integrating rhythm, melody, lyrics, and poems. We’ll look at some of the concepts and formulas of various classic writing styles as well. The goal of the class will be to help each person begin, further develop, or complete at least one song of their own.

One of my favorite things in my journey as a songwriter has been joining forces with other people and creating a song I might not have written on my own. In this class we’ll explore the value and advantage of writing songs with others. We’ll focus on the process of people combining strengths, talents, styles, and ideas to create songs together. We’ll also look at the importance of creating an open and supportive space for the creative process to thrive between two artists, and the power of holding on and letting go. This class is open to people of all skill levels and to those who do or do not play an instrument.

Learn all you will need to know to begin and advance your slide guitar playing. Topics covered include types of slides, guitar setup, playing clean notes, rhythmic patterns, vibrato, and right- and left-hand damping techniques. The class will introduce the songs, styles, and licks of the blues slide guitar masters including Muddy Waters, Son House, Mississippi Fred McDowell, and Robert Johnson. Open G and Open D tunings will be explored.

Advance your acoustic slide guitar and fingerstyle technique by learning songs, licks, and styles of traditional and contemporary blues and roots artists. Students will learn both solo fingerstyle and slide songs, and will learn how to add color while accompanying another instrumentalist. Attention will be given to building skills in improvisation, soloing, and more advanced techniques such as Dead Thumb and alternating thumb/Piedmont Picking. Students may play songs in standard, open G, open D, and minor tunings. 

Whether you’re making a new friend of the guitar or you’re returning to your old six-string pal after a hiatus, this will be the class for you. Perhaps you’ve been working on the guitar but you’re experiencing some sort of block—like singing while playing or making your strumming jive with your chord-changing—come to this class and we’ll work through it together.

Whether you’re a first-time camper or it’s not your first rodeo, you might like some help figuring out which classes to take. Need some tips about how to feel more comfortable onstage? Having trouble finding some folks to play music with? Stuck for a rhyming word? Let’s bounce some ideas around. Every 4 p.m. workshop period there will be also be a slow jam that will be a good fit for both beginners and people who want hone new skills in a group setting.

Explore fiddling horizons as we learn how to adapt to significantly differing styles, including Texas style, old-time, swing, and bluegrass. Through hands-on examples and style-focused techniques, you’ll learn what makes genres unique, and how to prepare for and navigate them in jam sessions and performance settings. Gain confidence in expanding your repertoire, experimenting with stylistic nuances, and embracing the art of adaptability with grace and curiosity.

Step into the world of swing and western swing guitar accompaniment as we explore closed-position voicings used in the context of classic jazz and swing standards. We’ll focus on developing a reliable swing feel, understanding common progressions, and contributing musically with intentional groove and stylistic awareness.

Feel like your playing could use a refresher? You’re not alone! Whether you’re a relative beginner looking to get your bearings or an intermediate player hoping to unlock new possibilities, this technique-forward class will cover a laundry list of basics to help you build confidence on this utterly fretless, ergonomically squirrely instrument.

Mix it up and explore the magic of playing a variety of contemporary and trad songs in the Americana genre. We’ll have a daily band scramble, brainstorming in teams to arrange and spice up songs with solos and harmonies. Then we’ll take it for a test drive to see how well the songs shine. The repertoire will be easy to learn and all instruments and vocalists are welcome to join in the fun!

Most guitarists learn chords by “shape” with the lowest root note on the 5th or 6th string and the chord tones in any order, or “inversion.” The number of individual notes in a chord indicates the number of inversions available of that chord up the neck. I will show you the simple process of inversion, starting with major and minor triads, and advancing to 4-note swing chords to quickly increase your chord vocabulary. It would be helpful if you already knew the notes up the neck.

A swing duo is one of the most challenging and satisfying musical settings. I’ll have a recording and charts for two swing tunes per class for you to choose from. You’ll be paired with a new partner each class, and I’ll coach your duo on how to best support one another. Learn tunes, have fun! For all instruments and singers.

Blues is the most primal, powerful part of your soul…and singing it is more fun than you can possibly imagine. Every singer, regardless of style or experience, has so much to learn from the blues. It is the gateway to learning how to sing with more freedom and soul, and finding your own voice. We’ll dig into the music theory and history of the blues, and you’ll see why this is the perfect music to bring to a jam session anywhere. Come learn about the grandmother of all great American music and deepen your knowledge about musical form while we moan, hum, wail, and sing.

When you walk into a blues jam session, you have only a moment to explain what you want to the band. No charts, no sheet music! Understanding a few basic cues and how to speak the language the musicians know can transform your time at the microphone from a train wreck to a triumph. We’ll learn different strategies to begin and end a tune, and how to sculpt your song to fit your personal style. All while singing some Muddy Waters, Bonnie Raitt, Etta James, and B. B. King songs.

For those who are just starting, wanting a refresher course, or just curious as to the magic of playing the bass! Open to all instrumentalists, this class is a great starter for understanding and learning more about simple bass fundamentals such as how to get a good tone, simple hand positions to get you going, and how to create good smooth bass lines in many styles. We will move toward playing “in the pocket” of a few different styles and tricks that make a solid bassist.

Bass players: It’s time to do more than just hold it down. In this class, we’ll explore deeper grooves, wider styles (swing, blues, funk, and Latin), and the art of improvisation. You’ll learn how to move confidently from the rhythm section to the melodic spotlight—without losing the groove. One new tune each day, plenty of theory to fuel your solos, and lots of musical fun along the way.

Incorporating elements of cross-picking and cross-string or “melodic style” banjo techniques, we will learn the tools and techniques to add variety and interest to your flatpicking tunes and solos. We will introduce the elements of the style and cover common licks and patterns, starting with familiar bluegrass instrumentals and fiddle tunes.

What makes a good melody? What are different ways to support a melody with chords and basslines? How do you even start writing something from “nothing”? We’ll explore these questions and more, all in the context of writing original tunes in open tunings. We’ll also discuss how to choose and adapt a tuning to suit the needs of our evolving composition, along with various musical and instrumental techniques to add interest and bring our original tunes to life.

We’ll look at several styles that often incorporate mandolin and spend some time with each of them. We’ll learn a tune from each style, and then take some time to break apart that style. Learn tricks from the style to make the tunes more interesting and fit the style. We’ll also cover accompaniment and how to back up each style. Genres covered may include bluegrass, swing, old-time, and choro.

This fairly comprehensive overview of techniques on the mandolin is aimed at all mandolinists who are able to play at least one tune. We’ll look at ideas for the right and left hands, chords, ear training, metronomes, composition, creativity, and improvisation.

We’ll focus on hearing chord changes, playing songs (depending on the class level), and analyzing their structure. You’ll earn to identify the sound of the chords, their personality and function. We’ll start in the banjo key of G and also explore A, B, C, D, E, and F! We’ll discuss capo use and that pesky 5th string. We’ll look for melody notes within a chord, making solos based on simple rolls. We’ll avoid the use of paper; instead, students are encouraged to record songs played in class for future practice. Practicing techniques will be discussed, and we’ll practice playing together as a group and switching from chords to solos. Bluegrass banjo traditions will be discussed using traditional bluegrass repetoire.

The concept of “playing” and “play” will rule the day as we explore how to practice and relax while playing. We will breathe, stretch, and experiment with “doing less” (such as gripping the instrument neck) to provide a path to musical ease. Using simple chord progressions and picking patterns with pop and folk songs, we’ll repeat enough times that we can expand our focus to include our breathing and letting go of muscle tension.

This class will focus on the fundamentals of the mandolin. We’ll learn different chords and chord voicings, and then we’ll apply those and practice various rhythms, including chopping and strumming patterns. Finally, we’ll bring it all together and learn a couple of easy fiddle tunes, so you can start playing with others right away! Whether you’re new to music or just new to the mandolin, this class will help you get started on your musical journey.

We’ll learn common bluegrass fiddle tunes and the foundations of improvising. We’ll start by learning the tunes and then explore how to add your own style and creative ideas while playing. We’ll explore basic techniques like phrasing and rhythm, which are key to bluegrass music. As we progress, we’ll focus on building your confidence in improvisation, helping you create solos that fit with the tunes. The class will also introduce you to playing with others so you can practice jamming. By the end, you’ll have the knowledge and tools to become comfortable playing bluegrass music and improvising in your own way.