Wednesday, September 18, 2024
These wonderful artists have lots of music and insights to share. Please read the complete descriptions of the workshops being offered. Register online, or call the Office at 620-221-3250 to register by phone with a credit card. These classes are IN-PERSON and Hands-On workshops, so bring your instrument & music stand!
Workshops will take place at the First Baptist Church in Winfield, 200 E 11th St., Winfield, KS.
Early Registration closes Friday, September 13 at 5:00pm. Registration reopens 8:30am Wednesday, September 18 at the workshop location with Debit or Credit Card Registration.
Tina Bergmann
Syncopation and Rhythmic Tomfoolery for Hammer Dulcimer
9:15am – 3:30pm CDT with a 1-1/4 hour lunch break
Skill Level: Intermediate
Class #24wksp1
If you’ve ever felt your playing is flat or lacking in expression it’s likely you’re missing basic metric accents. A large part of music’s pulse and drive are metric accents, and understanding them takes music that is dynamically monotone and makes it conversational. Once we play around with pulse in a few different meters and practice them with both exercises and practical application, we can branch off into different types of syncopation, and we’ll learn several tunes that bring it all together in fun and satisfying ways. The beauty of this work is that it vastly improves every single piece of music you play, regardless of the genre.
My experience as a music educator and private teacher of 41 years enables me to work with a wide variety of abilities within a class. You’ll receive individualized attention and take home resources, including audio files, written music, and thoughtfully created written materials, to encourage further growth and understanding after the workshop.
Learn more about Tina at https://www.allroadsleadhome.com/
This Intermediate class will run from 9:15am to 3:30pm with a 1-1/4 hour break for lunch.
Cost is $90 per Participant
*** Minimum of 4 Preregistered Participants
Maximum of 20 Participants
Greg Blake
Flat Pick Guitar
10am to 4:30pm CDT Intermediate to Advanced Skill Level
class #24wksp2
In this intermediate level workshop, the assumption is that each student will at least have begun to investigate and/or implement various basic flatpicking techniques and skills. Thus, the objective for our time together is to emphasize the importance of establishing and clearly expressing the melody (whether it be the melody of a song with lyrics or a fiddle tune or instrumental of some sorts) while also exploring the proper and tasteful amount of improvisation to employ. The student will be exposed to the instructor’s “Melody Window” methodology and practical tips for playing out of G, C and D “key family shapes”.
For additional information about Greg, please go to gregblakemusic.com and to specialc.com
This Intermediate to Skill Level class will run from 10am to 4:30pm.
Cost is $80 per participant
*** Minimum 5 Participants Pre-Registered
Maximum of 12 participants.
Bing Futch
Mastering Our Dulcimer Experience
9:30am – 4pm CDT All Skill Levels
class #24wksp3
Join Bing Futch’s Mastering Our Dulcimer Experience workshop for a transformative day designed for mountain dulcimer musicians of all levels. This course was designed to help in building a solid skill set of fundamentals through exercises, repertoire, and improvisation. The day begins with an invigorating session on fundamental exercises to enhance technique, covering basic scale patterns, picking accuracy, and harmonic studies to improve finger agility and fretboard dexterity. Following this, participants will expand their musical repertoire by learning new tunes and adapting different musical styles to the dulcimer, gaining valuable insights into the art of arranging and performing.
After a lunch break, the focus shifts to creative improvisation, where attendees will explore techniques to improvise melodies, harmonies, and rhythms, fostering spontaneous musical creation. The final session ties together all the day’s lessons, demonstrating how to seamlessly incorporate exercises, repertoire, and improvisation. This hands-on, collaborative session provides practical insights into applying new skills in any musical setting. Come along for this enriching experience to elevate your dulcimer playing to new heights.
To learn more about Bing, go to bingfutch.com
This All Skill Levels class will run from 9:30am to 4:00pm CDT with a 1-1/2 hour break for lunch.
Cost is $80 per Participant
All those who wish to register are welcome.
Amanda Grapes Dellinger
Fiddle – Strings to StrAngs
Noon to 4pm CDT Intermediate to Advanced Skill Level
2021 and 2015 WVF Fiddle Contest finalist Amanda Grapes is the fiddlist for Pixie and the Partygrass Boys. Classically trained from the age of two and a backwoods Kentucky fiddler since the age of seven, she prefers the term “fiddlist” to describe her unique blend of both genres. Amanda teaches private lessons in Utah to adults who already play the violin but want to expand their abilities and options to be able to perform or jam in the bluegrass scene.
In this workshop we will explore a few right- and left- hand fiddle techniques that will give you the basic skills you will need to turn your violin into a fiddle. We will begin with an easy, standard fiddle tune (“Boil Them Cabbage Down” in the Key of A) and use it as a foundation to discuss bowing patterns, double stops, basic chops, improvisation, break-building, and harmonizing. We will also touch on jam etiquette, accompaniment, and basic folk music jargon. We will practice these skills on some other standard tunes including Cherokee Shuffle (Key of A), Angeline the Baker (Key
of D), and Arkansas Traveler (Key of D). Students should have at least an intermediate skill level on the violin and be able to sight-read music and/or play by ear.
To learn more about Amanda, go t0 pixieandthepartygrassboys.com
This Intermdiate to Advanced level class will run from Noon to 4pm with short restroom and stretch breaks.
Cost is $65 per participant
*** Minimum 4 Participants Pre-Registered
Maximum of 15 participants.
Rev. Robert Jones
The Blues in Bluegrass
10a – 4:30pm All Skill Levels All Instruments
There are things in American music that really celebrate America’s diversity, and one of those things is the relationship between blues and bluegrass music. While most people think of blues as a modern urban style of music dominated by electric guitars, blues music, like bluegrass is rooted in southern acoustic music. This workshop is designed to highlight both the differences and similarities that exist between these two essential styles of American music.
We will explore how key creators of American acoustic music developed a musical language that is common to both of these iconic styles. We will address things like the shared I-IV-V progression of blues and bluegrass. We will also explore differences in approach such as fingerpicking vs. flatpicking, ensemble vs. solo playing, and the difference between the blues and bluegrass singing aesthetic.
Participants are welcome to bring their instruments and to share their insights about these two great styles of American music.
To learn more about Rev. Jones, go to commonchords.net
This All Skills Level workshop will run from 10am to4:30pm with a 1-1/2 hour break for lunch.
Cost is $90 per Participant
*** Minimum of 5 Preregistered Participants
Maximum of 12 Participants
Andy May
Mandolin 101
9:00am – Noon CDT Skill Level: Beginner
class #24wksp6
Grab your mandolin and join Andy for this fun workshop! He will give you a foundation that will help you bypass roadblocks that many beginners encounter and enable you to build on what you’ve learned once the workshop is over. And then, will arm you with common-sense practice techniques to help you achieve your goals.
In this class, Andy will show you how to:
• Avoid common pitfalls and problems
• Improve your timing
• Accompany yourself
• Interact with others musically
• Play back-up and lead
•Read basic tablature
•Move forward and expand on the basics
Andy will provide and go over reference worksheets that he has created for his beginning students, including:
• Basic chord charts with useful positions
• Flat-picking techniques
• Common-sense fingering excercises
• Several fun and accessible songs
To put all this in context, Andy will give an overview of foundational mandolin styles so that you understand their technical, historical, and cultural aspects and importance.
This class is for beginners, but intermediate-level
players will enjoy it as well. Bring your questions and a smile!
Andy May has played mandolin on stages from the Walnut Valley Festival to MerleFest to the Country Music Hall of Fame and on the IBMA award-winning project, “Everett Lilly & Everybody and Their Brother.” His own classic mandolin project, “Dance of Life, a Mandolin Celebration,” which received critical acclaim, mixes the fire of bluegrass with the more laid-back feel of New England contra dance tunes.
Andy has been teaching mandolin for more than half a century and has taught hundreds of people of all ages how to play. He particularly enjoys teaching beginners, giving them a solid framework that will allow them to keep learning and advancing on their own. “I love playing the mandolin,” he says. “You can’t not be happy while you play the mandolin!”
To learn more about Andy, go to andymay.com
This BEGINNER class will run from 9:00am to Noon CDT.
Cost is $65 per Participant
By participating in this class, a Discount will be offered for Andy’s second class in the afternoon.
*** Minimum of 4 Preregistered Participants
Maximum of 10 Participants
Andy May
Mandolin 201
1:30pm – 4:30pm CDT Skill Level: Advance Beginner / Intermediate
class #24wksp7
Dust off your mandolin and join Andy for this fun workshop! He will cover more techniques to help you improve your playing and performance skills and increase your confidence. He will give you more tips that will help you bypass roadblocks that many players encounter and enable you to build on what you’ve learned once the workshop is over. And, he will arm you with common-sense practice techniques to help you achieve your goals.
In this class, Andy will continue to show you how to:
- Avoid common pitfalls and problems
- Improve your timing
- Accompany yourself
- Interact with others musically
- Play more back-up and lead
- Move forward and expand on the basics
Andy will provide and go over reference worksheets that he has created for his intermediate students, including:
- Chord charts with useful positions
- Flat-picking techniques
- Common-sense fingering exercises
- Several fun and accessible intermediate song
- To put all this in context, Andy will give an overview of foundational mandolin styles so that you understand their technical, historical, and cultural aspects and importance.
The focus of this class is for those who have already played some, but beginners will enjoy it as well. Bring your questions and a smile!
Andy May has played mandolin on stages from the Walnut Valley Festival to MerleFest to the Country Music Hall of Fame and on the IBMA award-winning project, “Everett Lilly & Everybody and Their Brother.“His own classic mandolin project, “Dance of Life, a Mandolin Celebration,” which received critical acclaim, mixes the fire of bluegrass with the more laid-back feel of New England contra dance tunes.
To learn more about Andy, go to andymay.com
This Intermediate & Up class will run from 1:30pm to 4:30pm CDT.
Cost is $65 per Participant
OR a Discounted Price of $60 if you participate in the morning class
*** Minimum of 4 Preregistered Participants
Maximum of 10 Participants
Karen Mueller
Autoharp – Moving Forward with Melody & Rhythm
9:30am to 4:00pm CDT Skill Level: Intermediate through Upper Intermediate
#24wksp8
Come enjoy a class that will be taylored to the interests and level of the participants! A survey will be sent prior to the workshop to request everyone’s input. We’ll start by covering the basics of playing solid rhythm to accompany folk and bluegrass songs for singing and jamming with others. Then we’ll look at producing clear melodies, working by ear as well as with song sheets and autoharp tablature, a system of writing down autoharp chords and pick strokes. If you are able to play melody on your autoharp and are ready to learn more songs and techniques for greater accuracy and express, we will explore how to take your playing to the next level. We’ll work in a variety of styles, including bluegrass, old-time, Carter family, Irish and Cajun, with both melody picking and a variety of strum patters to accompany singing and add breaks, using sheet music with autoharp tablature. As a multi-level workshop, there will be a variety of ways to learn and participate. Come and pick up some new skills, songs and ideas! Any type of in-tune authoharp will work, focusing on the keys of C, G and D.
To learn more about Karen, go to karenmueller.com
This Intermediate Level class will run from 9:30am to 4:00pm with a 1-1/2 hour break for lunch.
Cost is $65 per participant
*** Minimum 3 Participants Pre-Registered
Maximum of 12 participants.
Andrew Nelson
Finger Style Guitar
10am – 4pm Intermediate to Advanced Skill Level
Experience the joy of fingerpicking on guitar! In this workshop we will start with basic patterns, and then dive into travis picking, blues, ragtime, bossa nova and other styles from across the globe (with a little historical context). We’ll then go deeper by adding variations on patterns we’ve learned, and I will provide examples of how to use and combine these patterns in the context of songs. We will also address something of great importance – FEEL – how to make your fingerpicking sound and feel musical by utilizing accents, dynamics, and other techniques. Finally, we will go over the art of solo guitar and how to play chord melodies. Participants will be given access to online video lessons to supplement the materials provided at the workshop.
To learn more about Andrew Nelson go to www.Andrewnelsonmusic.Com
This Intermediate / Advanced level class will run from 10am to4pm with a 1-1/2 hour break for lunch.
Cost is $70 per Participant
*** Minimum of 4 Preregistered Participants
Maximum of 20 Participants
Bryan Thomas
Bass Workshop: Supporting the Bottom, Hearing the Top, Playing with the In-Between
10am to 4pm Intermediate chromatic bass instruments including Upright Bass, Bass Guitar, and U-bass (those bringing bass guitar and such should have an amp of some
sort – bring your own extension cord if necessary). The ability to read music and exposure to music theory is helpful but not necessary for this class.
Laying down a bassline that has groove and reacts playfully with the melody and other supporting instruments is a satisfying role to play. We’ll be focusing on our sound, both for producing a nice pleasing thump, and for lightly getting out of the way when playing more complex and conversational lines. We will be singing melodies and applying awareness and music theory knowledge so that you can hear chord changes instinctively. We’ll also work on how we interact with guitars and other chordal instruments, so we can be conversational in our role as a foundation of harmony and rhythm. Some of what we will be doing will be working with both notated melodies and recordings to form a concept for making bass lines that work with the style of the tunes and the people you’re playing with. I have spent 30 years as a working basisist and educator teaching kids to adult professionals and at the collegiate level. The class will focus mainly on Americana and fiddle tunes with forays into jazz and some Latin American music. You’ll receive individualized attention and take home resources including audio files, sheet music, and thoughtfully created written materials to encourage further growth and understanding after the workshop.
To learn more about Bryan, go t0 /https://www.allroadsleadhome.com/
This Beginner Mandolin class will run from 9:15am to 3:30pm with a 75 minute break for lunch.
Cost is $85 per participant
*** Minimum 4 Participants Pre-Registered
Maximum of 20 participants.
Linda Tilton
Super Duper Beginning Ukulele
9am to Noon CDT Beginner Level
class #24wksp10
This course is for beginning ukulele players.
We will cover tuning, basic chords, beginning strums and transposing to different keys. Commonly known songs often played at “Winfield” jams will be taught. Music Stands are encouraged. Both standard & baritone tuned ukuleles are welcome.
This Beginner Level Ukulele class is 9am to Noon CDT.
Cost is $70 per participant
Minimum of 8 PreRegistered Participants Aged 10 or older
Maximum of 15 Participants
Linda Tilton
Ukulele Picking & Strumming
1:30pm to 4:30pm CDT Advanced Beginner to Intermediate Level
class #24wksp11
This course is for ukulele players who already know basic chords and chord progressions. Focus is on fingerpicking, strum patterns, reading tablature and chord melody. Music Stands are encouraged. Both standard & bariton tuned ukuleles are welcome.
This Advanced Beginner to Intermediate Level class will run from 1:30pm to 4:30pm
Cost is $70 per Participant
*** Minimum of 8 Preregistered Participants aged 10 or Older
Maximum of 15 Participants
Matt Watroba
Choices: Getting the Most Out of every Song and Performance
10am to 4:30pm CDT All Skill Levels
class #24wksp12
In this interactive class, Matt will show you the the choices great performers make to get the most out of their songs, their time on stage, or in a song circle. Participants will then be encouraged to apply what they’ve learned in a short performance at the end of the day. This workshop promises to be a safe, friendly place where beginners and professionals alike will benefit from the wisdom and experience of the instructor as well as the group. Phrasing, stage fright, transitions between songs, using humor, audience connection—these are just a few of the areas we will explore on the way to all of us getting a little bit better at sharing the music we love with other people. Bring what you need to perform one or two songs. Performing is encouraged but not required.
This All Skill Levels “Performance” Workshop is 10am to 4:30pm CDT.
Cost is $90 per participant
Minimum of 5 PreRegistered Participants
Maximum of 12 Participants
To learn more about Matt, please go to commonchords.net