Music

Whether you can play an instrument or not, you can still write songs! Beginner or expert, in this special workshop you will learn folk song writing skills or advance your current abilities with award-winning performing songwriters Cosby Gibson and Tom Staudle. Participants of all levels will study the facets of composing and developing folk songs. Also includes live music demonstrations by the instructors, discussion, and individual guidance. Students may bring (but are not required to) instrument, recording device such as phone or handheld.

Bluegrass banjo is the familiar sound that drove such favorites as the Beverly Hillbillies Theme Song, Rocky Top and Foggy Mountain Breakdown. In this class you will learn enough about the banjo so that you can use a variety of available instructional aids from your home and progress with learning Bluegrass banjo at your own pace. You will be exposed to the basics of playing 5-string Bluegrass banjo, including tunings, left hand chord shapes, right hand rolls, vamping, hammer-ons, pull-offs, chokes, chimes and how to read tablatures. We'll also look at online sites about banjo practice and instruction. Bring a playable 5-string banjo, two metal finger picks and a thumb pick. Although there will be several handouts, an audio recorder is a good idea.