Workshop Schedule & Descriptions
2026

Saturday:

10:30 AM

Introduction to Alternate Picking for the Mandolin (Lou)

Learning how to play melodies with a down-up picking technique is essential, benefitting your rhythm, speed, and musicality as a mandolin player.  We'll use some exercises to get started on learning this skill and then move on to applying it to a fiddle tune or two.

Mandolin

Write Your Own Damn Protest Song (Sue)

Is it time to write your own protest song? Look to the past, look at the now, look inside, look to the future. There is no wrong way to write a resistance song, but Sue can guide you with a few steps that can help you on your way dammit! 

Songwriting

Jump Into Jamming (Amanda)

The best way to improve is to play with others. Ditch the jam jitters at this workshop! We’ll cover jam etiquette, common styles of jams, and general tips to jump in and have a blast. All levels are welcome as we practice typical communication strategies (including body language cues, reading “hands,” Nashville numbers, and how to lead a song).

All Instruments

Two Finger/Thumb Lead Banjo (Luke)

Want to try playing something on the banjo that isn’t clawhammer and isn’t Scruggs but sort of feels like clawhammer and sort of feels like Scruggs? Try Two Finger/Thumb Lead!

Banjo 

Barre Chords (Peggy & Maura)

We'll focus on one or two lovely songs to learn the relationship between 7, minor and major chords while practicing our barre chords and "F" shapes.

Guitar

1:00 PM

Acoustic Trio (Peggy, Maura, & Lou)

We'll learn a simple tune on our instruments and practice taking leads and keeping rhythm for each other. We'll talk about what the “job” of each instrument is when playing the melody and when playing rhythm, do we play on the “one and three” or the “two and four” beats? We'll practice getting a full sound with all three instruments. “The sound is the teacher.”

All Instruments

Harmony Fun and Fundamentals (Ellen & Mitzi)

How do we find harmony parts as singers? At folk jams, where the goal is to get everyone singing, it’s ok to just grab a note that feels good. But if you're singing in a duo or trio, it's important to be strategic and choose a part that enhances the song. In this workshop, we’ll take a “behind the music” look at how harmonies work and play with easy ways to find them. You’ll learn how to think about the harmony line as being part of a conversation with the melody and other harmony lines. You’ll discover that you (yes, you!) already feel harmony in your body, and with a little confidence and practice, you’ll be harmonizing like a pro!

Vocal only

Flatpicking Single Note (Chris)

Tips for playing both song melodies and fiddle tunes. All the great players could take a song melody or a fiddle tune and transfer them to the guitar. We'll figure out the system for doing both. They're closer than you think.

Guitar

Clawhammer Banjo: Nowhere Man (Jonas)

Jonas will teach his arrangement for the Beatles classic “Nowhere Man.” An excellent example of using clawhammer banjo for non-traditional tunes.

Banjo

2:30 PM

Everyone Swing! (Chris, Ellen, Mitzi, Sue, Amanda, Jonas, & Luke)

This entire session will be dedicated to learning the rhythms, phrasing, and accompaniment patterns that give swing music its unmistakable groove. We’ll start with breakouts by instrument. Lead instruments (voice, banjo, mando/fiddle) will learn melody and harmony parts as well as accompaniment to keep the rhythm going. The guitars will work on the rhythmic style behind western swing and old standards, using easy moveable chord shapes up and down the neck. The basses learn how to maintain that driving rhythm and anchor the sound. Then everyone will learn a handful of basic swing dance steps and see how dancers connect to that rhythm. Finally, we'll put it all together, playing and dancing at the same time and experiencing firsthand how swing music gets people moving.

• Ellen, Mitzi, Sue – Lyrics/harmony

• Luke – Banjo

• Jonas - Fiddle/Mando

• Chris – Guitar

• Amanda – Bass

• Ellen, Mitzi – Dance steps

3:45 PM

Free Time

Skills Exchange:

Sue & Friends: Art for All

Everyone is welcome as we pull out watercolors, colored pencils, markers and more. We've made art together at past retreats, and by request from many of you, we now have a home for it in the schedule! Learn to express yourself with guidance from our visual artist participants.

4:45 PM

Small Group Ensembles

• Maura & Lou

• Peg & Amanda

• Jonas & Sue

• Chris, Luke, Ellen & Mitzi

Sunday:

10:30 AM

Introduction to the Pentatonic Scale for Guitars (Lou & Maura)

Have you been playing guitar for a while but want to expand beyond strumming chords? Learn to add fills and play leads in this gentle introduction to the pentatonic scale. There will be some theory, but most of the workshop will be devoted to hands-on practice with a few different songs.

Guitar

Joyful Noise: Gospel Choir (Mitzi & Ellen)

Rooted in the African-American tradition, gospel songs and spirituals have a way of touching our souls – regardless of our faith tradition. Get a taste of the exhilaration that comes from singing these powerful songs of survival, love, freedom, and transcendence. We’ll learn simple melodies and harmonies by ear, then join together as one voice to raise the rafters. Get ready to clap, sing, and sway in jubilation!

Vocal only

Town Tunes (Luke)

There are lots of tunes named after towns. Many of them are prefaced with “Old.” Old Chattanooga, Old Jeff City, Dubuqe, Waynesboro, Goin’ Down to Cairo… Luke will teach you some of these on the instrument you bring. 

All Instruments

Bowing Technique (Jonas)

It ain’t all taters!!! Get your bow moving differently to apply interesting rhythms to your fiddle tunes and comfortably back different genres of songs. 

Bowed Instruments

1:00 PM

Double Stops on the Fiddle (Lou)

Learn how to use double stops to enhance your own melody playing and to provide accompaniment to other musicians. We’ll spend some time on the theory of how chords are built, but the emphasis will be on using your new double stop knowledge.

Fiddle

Ear training, Melody, & Chord Changes (Jonas)

Say What!? Open up those ears and learn how to turn sounds we hear into sounds we play. This is a crash course for understanding relative pitch for both melody and chord players.

All Instruments

Permission Slip (Sue & Amanda)

Uncover new ideas for your playing, singing, and performance life. This workshop will be a series of fun games and exercises to practice taking risks. You can do no wrong! We'll share songs, take songs apart, and experiment! Prepare for a deluge of encouragement.

All Instruments

Strawberry Point (Luke & Chris)

When Chris Walz played in Special Consensus, Al Murphy taught them a rare tune he learned directly from Bill Monroe that he had named after a little town in Iowa called Strawberry Point. Luke will teach mandolin and Chris will teach guitar.

Mandolin & Guitar

2:30 PM

Bruce! (Peggy & Maura)  ‍       ‍

Bruce Springsteen, the iconic master musician, continues to make music and spread the message of hope, light and peace. Let’s take a look at some of his wonderful songs. 

All Instruments

Feedback Open Mic (Sue & Jonas)

Bring a song or a cover and play for the group for loving feedback. Let’s dive into your new songs, your covers, or bring new life to older tunes. 

All Instruments

Singing & Playing (Amanda)

Can you do both at the same time? It’s not easy! We’ll work together to merge the two. All instruments are welcome as we learn ways to chunk, layer, and practice this handy skill.

All Instruments

Mississippi John Hurt: It's All in the Thumb (Chris)

If you've been wondering how the great early country blues guitar players sound as good as they did, take a lesson from one of the greatest, Mississippi John Hurt. Mississippi John’s whole style was based on a rocking thumb that was steady as a metronome, while the fingers played syncopated melody lines. In this class you will not only learn some of the great tunes Mississippi John played, but also his approach to the guitar so that you can create your own fingerpicking solos.

Guitar

Group Vocal Improv (Ellen & Mitzi)
Discover the joy of making music in the moment using nothing but your voice and the collective creativity of the group. Group vocal improv is a playful way to connect with others while exploring new musical possibilities and the many colors of your voice. In this workshop, we'll learn simple techniques for creating spontaneous music together. No previous improv experience needed. Along the way, you’ll build skills in listening deeply, experimenting, and embracing the unexpected!

Vocals

3:45 PM

Free Time

Skills Exchange:

Becky: Cajun Fun!

For fiddles, mandolins, singers, rhythm guitar, basses, and accordions. We'll learn "Tous Les Soirs," a sweet and sad Cajun waltz. With just two verses and only an A-part to the melody, it's an approachable intro to playing Cajun tunes.

4:45 PM

Small Group Ensembles

• Maura & Lou

• Peg & Amanda

• Jonas & Sue

• Chris, Luke, Ellen & Mitzi

Monday:

10:30 AM

Blues Is The Truth (Maura, Peg, & Amanda)

Come with guitar or bass in hand to break down the blues riffs, lines and chords of some of the greats we celebrate. We’ll have a guitar and walking bass focus, but other instruments are welcome.

Guitar, Bass, All Instruments

Irish Jig Ensemble (Lou)

In this workshop we’ll learn a traditional Irish jig. We’ll start with the melody and then add backing chords and variations to round out an arrangement. Much of the instruction will be geared towards fiddle, mandolin or guitar, but anyone comfortable learning tunes by ear is welcome.

Fiddle, Mandolin, Guitar, All Instruments

Arrange It! (Sue)

Hang out with Sue in this new class and work through layers, ideas, and harmonies to add to your songs. Find ways to include others in your repertoire for live or recorded life. Is it time to expand your work for more voices? Bring your songs, your instrument, and your phone to record ideas. 

Vocals, All Instruments

Mandolin Chop for Bluegrass (Chris Walz)

Here we work on mandolin chop chords for bluegrass, Monroe-style playing, in addition to a melody approach for songs as well as fiddle tunes. 

Mandolin

1:00 PM

Incorporating Bass Notes & Runs (Maura)

This will be an intro-level workshop that gets us comfortable adding some things to your rhythm guitar playing to give it a little more “sparkle.” We'll think about timing and placement of bass notes, bass runs and little fill-ins, to create a fuller sound, while keeping the song moving.

Guitar

Fleming Brown’s Banjo (Peggy)

Fleming Brown was Chicago-based and taught at the Old Town School of Folk Music. He traveled the country and learned from true old-time musicians and brought his knowledge back to his students. In this workshop we’ll delve into two songs he handed down: Red Rocking Chair (the original one) and Mole in the Ground. We’ll look at what tunings he used on the banjo and some of his right-hand techniques. This is banjo-centric, but other instruments are welcome.

Banjo, All Instruments

People Get Ready: Songs of Freedom and Resistance (Mitzi & Ellen)

Music empowers social change movements, giving people the courage to get into “good trouble” and stand up to injustice. We’ll draw on selections from the Civil Rights Movement, many with roots in pre-Civil War African American spirituals, with their potent themes of struggle, hope, and strong determination to make it to the “promised land.” We’ll also explore songs from the modern Singing Resistance, a mass movement of singers to protect and care for communities with simple songs of love, nonviolence, and solidarity.

Vocal only

The Thomas Lynch Formula (Sue)

Start a song with Sue using the poet Thomas Lynch’s thoughtful 7 steps. He came up with this formula for when a writer feels stuck. Walk through the steps with Sue in class on your way to a new song.

Songwriting

Waltzing on the Mandolin (Luke)

Waltzes are fun to play on the mandolin and sure do sound pretty with all the tremolo and slides and bouncy little runs, not to mention all the cool chord/rhythm backup possibilities! Learn a few waltzes with Lukas Simpson in this fun workshop then practice them with everyone each evening so you can bring some new material to share and play back home with you! Note: this workshop will be 45 minutes long.

Mandolin

2:30 PM

Jug Band Repertoire (Jonas)

All levels are welcome to attend this class that will dive a little deeper into the repertoire of Jug Band music for those people who already have a hold of the classics. No prior experience necessary and a crash course and Jug Band instruments will be provided.

All Instruments

Scruggs-style Banjo (Chris Walz)

In this course devoted to bluegrass banjo, Chris approaches both classic Scruggs-style banjo tunes as well as song melodies played Scruggs-style. We place special attention on Earl’s melody and backup work within the first five frets and itsrelationship to his position-playing higher up the neck. 

Banjo

Drop D/Drop E? (Luke)

Explore picking, strumming and fingerpicking in Drop D tuning on guitar and a little capo trick to play "Drop E" and other keys!

Guitar

Subtle Steering (Amanda)

Let’s learn how to use bass runs and cool chord transitions to help steer an ensemble. We’ll make thoughtful choices that are fun to play yet still hold it down. We’ll explore how a few well-placed strategies can help us move beyond the “1 and 5.”

Bass

3:45 PM

Free Time

Skills Exchange:

Rick: Thumb-Brush-Pickup-Hammer On

Guitarists, park your flat picks by the door and return with us to the earliest days of the Old Town School and the fundamental strumming that Frank Hamilton taught. We introduce the technique in three easy stages, each of which can be used on its own or in combination. We'll provide lots of song examples that work best for each.

4:45 PM

Small Group Ensembles

• Maura & Lou

• Peg & Amanda

• Jonas & Sue

• Chris, Luke, Ellen & Mitzi