These talented artists have a wealth of music, knowledge, and inspiration to share! Take a few minutes to read the full workshop descriptions and discover the sessions that interest you most.
Register online, or call the Walnut Valley Office at 620-221-3250 to register by phone with a credit card.
These are in-person, hands-on workshops, so don’t forget to bring your instrument and a music stand!
Workshop Location
First Baptist Church
200 E. 11th Ave.
Winfield, KS
Early Registration Deadline:
5:00 p.m. on Friday, September 11, 2026
Workshop registration will reopen at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, at First Baptist Church (200 E. 11th Ave., Winfield, KS). Registration at that time will be accepted by debit or credit card only.
Mountain Dulcimer
Mountain Dulcimer Workshop
10:00am – 4:00pm $75 ea
Skill Level: All Skill Levels
What if Eddie Van Halen, Django Reinhardt, and Chet Atkins played the mountain dulcimer?
Spend the day with Kara Barnard to find out! You can do amazing things with a diatonic fretboard and three strings.
What to expect:
- All Skill Levels Welcome: Beginners will level up, while advanced players will train like future Winfield champions.
- Break Through Barriers: Dive into your musical obstacles and conquer your playing fears.
- Serious Fun: Expect to laugh a lot along the way.
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM | A Chord Workout for all Levels
Kara will introduce beginners to accessible new chord shapes while pushing advanced students through a rigorous fretboard workout. You will also receive her popular “One Chord Shape, 16 Different Chords” handout, giving you the tools to confidently navigate any campfire jam. Finally, we will put these new skills to the test right away by learning several new songs together.
12:30 PM – 2:30 PM | Eddie, Django and Chet
Elevate your playing by exploring the intricate mechanics of fingerstyle, the rhythmic drive of Gypsy Jazz, and the high-energy fire of heavy metal finger tapping.
2:45 PM – 4:00 PM | The Big Review & Practice Session
Wrap up the day by reviewing your new skills and practicing the workshop songs. We will prepare together for the upcoming Barnard Sisters dulcimer jam, taking place live on Stage 4 during the festival!
Learn about Kara at karabarnard.net
Fiddle
Fiddle
12:00pm – 4:00pm $75 ea
Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Ever feel like you’re just another voice in the jam circle, or struggle to know how to contribute when you aren’t playing the melody? Join me to bridge the gap between solo playing and effective ensemble musicianship.
In this workshop, we will deconstruct the role of the violinist/fiddler in a folk ensemble or bluegrass band, moving beyond the melody to explore how to provide rhythmic drive and harmonic depth, and how to structure arrangements that makes a small group of instruments sound like a full, dynamic band.
Drawing from my experience as a touring performer and Music Director of the Utah Folk Orchestra, we will focus on how to transition from a lead player to a team player. Whether you are a classical violinist looking to break into the folk scene or a seasoned fiddler wanting to sharpen your band skills, this session will give you the tools to stop just playing the notes and start driving the music.
We will cover:
- The Art of the “Backup”: Learn how to be the ultimate side-person by developing double-stop patterns and rhythmic motifs that support a vocalist or lead instrument without cluttering the soundscape. We will focus on building dynamic tension during a verse and finding tasteful fills that serve the song.
- The “Orchestra” Mindset: Learn how to take a simple tune and create a full-band arrangement on the fly. We will explore techniques for layering, assigning harmony lines, and using the violin to imitate other instruments—such as banjo-style rolls or guitar-style rhythmic bass lines—to transform your sound.
- Ensemble Intuition: Learn the essential skill of deep listening to create space, musical cohesion, and the confidence to navigate any jam circle or band setting.
This workshop is practical, band-oriented, and essential for any musician looking to find their place in the folk, bluegrass, or Americana landscape. While our primary focus is the role of the fiddler, the ensemble techniques we will cover are universally applicable; we warmly welcome players of all melodic instruments who are interested in sharpening their collaborative skills.
*** Minimum of 5 Preregistered Participants
Learn more about Amanda at instagram.com/agdfiddler
Songwriting
Songwriting
12:00am – 4:30pm $65 ea
Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate
That beat up old notebook or cluttered notes app in your phone is a gold mine for original songs!
We’ll discuss lyrics and imagery, how to edit a song, melodies and chords, song structures and forms, and working with craft versus inspiration. You’ll leave this workshop with a new toolbelt of songwriting techniques, personalized songwriting advice and the verse of a new song. You’ll also gain a framework for giving and receiving feedback and advice on forming a songwriting practice, either alone or with a group.For this class it’s best if you can play a few chords on an instrument confidently. Come in with whatever you’ve got, whether it’s a song you want feedback on, that idea you’ve had tucked away for years, or simply a curiosity for creative songwriting. Please bring an instrument (or your voice), something to write with such as a notebook or computer, and something to record audio with, such as your phone.
This is an beginner/all-levels songwriting workshop led by the Walnut Valley Festival’s inaugural Master Songsmith.
Cost is $65 per Participant
*** Minimum of 4 Preregistered Participants
Maximum of 12
Participants ***
Learn more about Emily at emilyjohnsonerday.com
Clawhammer Banjo
Beyond the Bum Ditty
10:00am – 12:00pm $55 ea
Skill Level: All Skill Levels Welcome
Open to clawhammer banjo players of all levels, explore the many ways you can take your playing to the next level by developing a toolbox of ideas to implement in creative ways. A tune will be taught as a vehicle for exploring a variety of techniques and ideas including but not limited to drop-thumb, variations and achieving good tone. (ALL LEVELS)
*** Minimum of 10 Preregistered Participants ***
Clawhammer Tone, Clarity and Drive
1:00pm – 3:00pm $55 ea
($100 for both Workshops)
Skill Level: All Skill Levels Welcome
Let’s dig into the subtleties of how to really let your banjo ring. Some minor adjustments to your technique and banjo can dramatically improve your tone, clarity and ability to play with a driving right hand. We’ll also explore a number of percussive techniques to add some texture. (ALL LEVELS)
Learn more about Rachel at racheleddy
Hammered Dulcimer
Getting Beyond the Melody: Arranging Waltzes
10:00am – 12:00pm $55 ea
Skill Level: All Skill Levels Welcome.
Waltzes are a gold mine for arranging ideas. At the top of the list is the development of the chord progression using the full chord palette. Using one of Ken’s favorite waltzes, we will cover a variety of techniques such as simple two and three note chords, bass lines, valley rolls, arpeggio fills and more. (ALL LEVELS)
*** Minimum of 10 Preregistered Participants
Backup and Arranging Techniques for Fiddle Tunes
1:00pm – 3:00pm $55.00 ea
($100 for Both Workshops)
Skill Level: All Skill Levels Welcome.
With an old time or Quebecois tune, we will cover phrasing with an eye to playing with swing, accent shifts, and dynamics. We will cover a variety of backup ideas and arranging ideas such as syncopations, anticipations, chords, bass lines, valley rolls and more. (ALL LEVELS)
Learn more about Brad at kenandbrad.com
Irish Music
Irish Music
10:00 am – 4:00 pm $75 ea
Skill Level: All Skill Levels
‘Ornamentation and variation in Irish music. The when where and why, and what it does both for the musician and for the lay person. Fast versus Slow, Technical versus simplified, a small look at the big picture.
Spend a day exploring the breakdown of some famous Irish tunes, session etiquette, and how to accelerate your learning of Irish music’
Shane Hayes is a master accordionist and founding member of the internationally acclaimed Irish trio Socks in the Frying Pan. Hailing from Ennis in County Clare—a region steeped in traditional music—Shane’s playing is both rooted in heritage and fearlessly inventive. With a style that blends breathtaking virtuosity, rhythmic power, and lyrical subtlety, he has redefined what the accordion can achieve in contemporary Irish music.
A prodigious talent from a young age, Shane has grown into one of the most distinctive and respected voices in the folk and trad scenes. His dynamic performances are marked by intricate arrangements, explosive improvisation, and a deep emotional range that connects instantly with audiences. Whether driving a reel with pulse-pounding intensity or weaving delicate counterpoint behind a song, Shane’s touch is unmistakable.
Shane is a two-time winner of the Best Accordion Player award from the prestigious Live Ireland Music Awards, a testament to his extraordinary skill and impact on the traditional music world.
With Socks in the Frying Pan, Shane has toured extensively across the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia, bringing Irish music to new generations and winning fans worldwide. The group has earned multiple “Best Live Band” awards from Irish American News, and their recordings are praised for their bold arrangements and infectious energy.
Beyond the stage, Shane is a sought-after collaborator and educator, known for his clarity, creativity, and passion. He has performed with luminaries including Liz Carroll, Martin Hayes, John McCutcheon, and Enda Scahill, and is increasingly recognized not only as a phenomenal instrumentalist, but as a musical leader pushing the tradition forward.
Learn more about Shane at socksinthefryingpan.com
Mandolin
Beginning Mandolin
1:00pm – 4:15pm $55.00
Skill Level: Beginner
Although Andy enjoys teaching mandolinists at any level, he particularly enjoys teaching beginners of any age, He has a relaxed, common-sense, and fun approach to teaching, giving his students a foundation that will help them bypass roadblocks that many beginners encounter, and enabling them to build on what they’ve learned once the workshop is over.
Andy will provide and go over reference worksheets that he has created for his beginning students, including:
- Common-sense fingering and exercises
- Flat-picking techniques
- Basic chord charts with useful positions
- Reading basic tablature
- Several fun and accessible songs
For over fifty years, mandolinist and guitarist Andy May has been a professional musician and a teacher. Some of his credentials include an IBMA Award garnered by his own record label, Swift River Music, for Everett Lilly and Everybody and His Brother, a project on which he contributed his mandolin playing, and his critically-acclaimed mandolin album, Dance of Life – A Mandolin Celebration. He has been a regular guest on the Musician’s Spotlight workshop/concert series at the Country Music Hall of Fame, and his beloved Acoustic Kids Showcases, which he created to mentor young musicians, has been a fixture at the Walnut Valley Festival for over three decades.
*** Minimum of 7 Preregistered Participants *** Maximum of 15
Learn about Andy at andymay.com
Fingerstyle Guitar
Fingerstyle Guitar
10:00am – 12:00pm $75.00
Skill Level: Intermediate
Tracing musical DNA from Doc Watson, Merle Travis, John Hurt, and Davey Graham, this workshop will have your fingers doing the walking. Great for picking, and for accompanying singing.
*** Minimum of 3 Preregistered Participants *** Maximum of 10
Carter Scratch Guitar
1:00pm – 3:00pm $75.00
Skill Level: Intermediate
Mother Maybelle Carter’s thumb lead, followed by a rhythm strum became known as the Carter Scratch, and is a great way for guitarists to accompany themselves and others. Maybelle Carter’s guitar playing informed pretty much all country guitarists who followed. Thumbpicks desired, but not necessary.
*** Minimum of 3 Preregistered Participants *** Maximum of 10
Learn about Joe at joenewberry.biz
Sign up for your favorite class and take your skills to the next level!
Early Registration Closes
5:00 p.m. Friday, September 11, 2026
Registration reopens at the First Baptist Church at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, September 16, 2026
