2021 CLASS DESCRIPTIONS

ALL DEEP DIVE SESSIONS WILL RUN FOR 3.5 HOURS WITH 15-MINUTE BREAKS AT THE END OF EACH HOUR. 75-MINUTE SESSIONS WILL RUN STRAIGHT THROUGH.

THURSDAY, JULY 8th

Thursday, July 8th, 2021

9:00 – 12:30AM

Joe Deninzon & Julie Lyonn Lieberman

Soloing with Pizzaz

The art of soloing can be deeply challenging as well as truly joyous when your intentions come to life. Who would know better than two players who’ve been creating as well as teaching improvisation for many, many decades? We can’t wait to share our ideas with you during this Deep Dive session. Roll up your sleeves and get ready to learn a myriad of techniques, points of awareness, and much, much more.

Thursday, July 8th, 2021

10:30 – 11:45AM

Vi Wickam

Jam Session Prep: Tunes & Techniques

Jamming is a great way to get comfortable playing music with others, but playing in a jam session can be daunting, especially for beginners. In this interactive workshop, you will learn about different types of Jam Sessions and how they operate, Jam Session etiquette, how to figure out what key a tune is in and what the chord changes are. We will also cover playing accompaniment, chords, fills and licks, and what to play when you aren’t playing the lead. This workshop is appropriate for all levels.

 

Thursday, July 8th, 2021

9:00-10:15AM

Chris Haigh

Irish Fiddling: Techniques & Repertoire

Irish fiddle tunes are mostly 32 bars long, and stay in first position. How hard could that be? But ask the leader of a top orchestra to sight- read a jig or reel, and the results will probably be laughable. The notes on the paper are just the starting point, and without an understanding of appropriate ornamentation and bowing, the results will be disappointing to say the least.

In this workshop I will demonstrate a polka, a jig, and a reel, and try out some of the techniques, ornaments and bowing strategies which are essential to breathing the life into these wonderful tunes.

Thursday, July 8th, 2021

10:30 – 11:45AM

David Wallace

Vibrato for Violinists/Violists

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This is one of David Wallace’s most in-demand sessions. If you haven’t taken this one with David, please do. 

Vibrato: that “special something” that enlivens the sound, touches listeners, releases tension, and defines a musical style.

You will:

• Learn essential ergonomics for healthy vibrato by applying simple biology, physics, and geometry
• Learn and practice many tried-and-true exercises and strategies for developing, practicing, and maintaining vibrato
• Learn about “vertical vibrato,” fingertip vibrato, vibrato for pizzicato, and the art of vibrating chords
• Explore different colors, different speeds, different widths, different intensities
• Adjust our vibrato for different musical styles, moods, and emotions
• Learn to observe, analyze, and troubleshoot someone’s vibrato

This clinic is open to all levels and also highly recommended for private teachers and orchestra directors who seek to help students to develop a healthy, unique vibrato.

Thursday, July 8th, 2021

12:30 – 7:30PM

Alissa Jackman

Rock & Pop SWB-TEEN! Day

For details, go to Rock & Pop SWB-TEEN!

Thursday, July 8th, 2021

1:00 – 4:30PM

Joy Adams & Julie Lyonn Lieberman

Essential Multi-Style Techniques

When transitioning from one style to another, it’s important to master the left- and right-hand techniques, the rhythmic groove, and the difference between the traditional parameters versus 21st century creativity and individuality. As the multi-style movement explodes, far too many players sound the same on every style they endeavor to add into their repertoire.

Thursday, July 8th, 2021

4:30 – 5:45PM

Enion Pelta

How to Sing While You Play

This session is not just a how – but a why. Many of us want to learn to sing while we play so we feel a greater sense of freedom in terms of what we can perform. But learning to use your singing voice while you play is an essential tool for every fiddle player. It can help you understand and teach harmonic and rhythmic concepts on a deeper level. In short: your voice + your fiddle = one instrument with limitless possibilities. 

A veteran singing fiddler, Enion will share with you some techniques for getting started with singing while you play, and some of the ways you can use your voice and violin together as a tool for practice, teaching, and performance. No prior vocal experience required. We’ll be covering basics of healthy singing and getting comfortable with your voice along with techniques for turning your voice and fiddle into integrated awesomeness for use in teaching and performance. 

Thursday, July 8th, 2021

4:30 – 5:45PM

Vi Wickam

Fiddle Bowings & Ornaments

Have you ever learned a fiddle tune only to have it sound more like an etude when you play it? Change the bowings and you completely change the feel of a tune. As you begin to harness the power of bowings, you will be amazed at how your stylistic feel improves. Throw in some appropriate ornaments and accidentals and you have some serious icing on that fiddle tune cake. Bring your fiddle, because we are going to put these tactics into practice!

Thursday, July 8th, 2021

4:30 – 5:45PM

Chris Murphy

Develop the Best Version of Your Musical Self

FRIDAY, JULY 9TH

Friday, July 9th, 2021

9:00-10:15AM

Joe Deninzon

Rock & Pop String Arranging

Friday, July 9th, 2021

9:00 – 12:30AM

Chris Haigh & David Wallace

All About the Blues

For the creative violinist, blues is an essential element of your playing, whether in the context of country, bluegrass, rock or jazz, let alone as a genre in itself.

In this deep-dive workshop, Chris Haigh and David Wallace will introduce you to the 12-bar blues as a structure and look at some of the many variations this genre can take. We will examine the concept of blues scales, and examine some of their uses and limitations. You will learn some string-specific techniques from some of the pioneers of blues violin along with a few classic blues standards.

Friday, July 9th, 2021

10:30 – 11:45AM

Donna Hebert

Fiddling Demystified

Does it frustrate you to learn a new melody with your left hand only to have to unlearn it and then RE-learn it with your right hand in order to bring any style to the piece? Me, too! I flipped it over and now I teach rhythm first. This also embeds chord changes into the learning process, while the use of voice to learn melodies shortens the learning time. Join me for a walk-through of this sensible way to synthesize your by-ear and sight-reading interpretations. I demonstrate tunes from different harmony patterns and time signatures, with handouts in three clefs. Especially recommended for teachers.

Friday, July 9th, 2021

12:30 – 7:30PM

Alissa Jackman

Rock & Pop SWB-TEEN! Day

For details, go to Rock & Pop SWB-TEEN!

Friday, July 9th, 2021

1:00 – 4:30PM

Jeremy Cohen

Nothin’ But the Tango

Nothin’ But the Tango

Jeremy Cohen will guide you through the practical elements of playing tango in the Argentine style. He will particularly focus on expression, rhythmic time, articulations and musical ethics. The session will include techniques like:

• Chichara
• Strapatta
• Latigo
• Triplet pizzicatos
• Arrestre 

… and others

Trained by Argentine tangueros, Cohen shares specific techniques and traditions which are critical elements required to genuinely speak the musical language of the great tango masters.

Jeremy Cohen was trained and steeped in the tradition of tango and through hard work and some luck. Cohen became the first non-Argentine solo violinist in the Argentine production of Forever Tango during the shows’ rise to Broadway fame in the 1990-2000s.

After playing in Forever Tango, Cohen began to compose and publish Tango repertoire for his group Quartet San Francisco. They recorded their CD entitled “Latigo” which was nominated for a Grammy Award in the “Best Classical Crossover” category.  The group was also awarded the Grand Prize and 1st Prize in the first International Tango competition hosted at the Argentine Consulate in New York City.

Friday, July 9th, 2021

4:30 – 5:45PM

Abby Newton

Celtic Cello

We will work on a cello centric Celtic tune (a tune that lends itself especially well to the cello). You will learn the tune by ear, explore the chords behind it, rhythmic back up, and counter melodies. We’ll also discuss improvising on the melody and whatever else we can do to spice it up. Abby will provide a printout of the tune for review after our session.

Friday, July 9th, 2021

4:30 – 5:45PM

Chris Murphy

Recording Your Art

RECORDING YOUR ART 🎶🎻🌈☘️

Hoist your artistic flag !!  The act and art of making an album of your music is a magical chance to get to know yourself better and reach for what you want to be—not just as a musician but as a person as well ,,,

Making an album should be more than just documenting where you’re at musically, but a chance to dream , stretch, grow , evaluate, plan , plot ,experiment,  evolve and be actively moving towards becoming THE BEST VERSION OF YOUR MUSICAL SELF. I will show you step-by-step how to start the process of making an album through releasing into the world as an artistic statement.

LEARN TO :
– Evaluate and organize your current repertoire
– Create arranging and songwriting goals
– Hire & collaborate with other musicians
– Understand recording methods: different types of studios, recording software, and your role as a music producer versus a recording engineer

We’ll examine the value & uses of pre-production and what to you expect emotionally, musically, financially as well as the difference between tracking, overdubbing, editing, mixing, and mastering.

Friday, July 9th, 2021

4:30 – 5:45PM

Vi Wickam

5 Top Fiddle Tunes to Learn

There are thousands of fiddle tunes out there, and some fiddlers know hundreds of tunes. Which ones should you learn first? Which tunes are going to be important to know for jamming? Vi has hand-selected 5 fiddle-tastic tunes that every fiddler should know. Join Vi and learn the basic melody to each of these tunes by ear and get sheet music and a play along track for a more advanced version. We’ll have lots of fun and you’ll walk away with 5 tunes to work on and master. Tunes will be taught at a beginning to intermediate level. Bring your instrument and be ready to learn! Triple clef will be provided for you violists and cellists to get in on the fun.

Saturday, July 10th, 2021

9:00 – 12:30

Sara Caswell

Jazz Strings

During this 3-hour deep dive session, we’ll identify some of the fundamental chords and scales used in jazz improvisation and sample ear-opening ways we might practice them. From here, we’ll explore a style of improvisation known as Bebop and how we might begin familiarizing ourselves with key ideas, phrases, and techniques associated with this virtuosic style. Lastly, we’ll delve into various ways to put all this knowledge into action – how to develop our musical & technical fluency both in practice and performance. Come ready to play!

Saturday, July 10th, 2021

9:00 – 12:30

Joe Deninzon & David Wallace

Rock Strings

Rock n Roll will never die! This class covers a wide range of topics connected to being a rock string player. We learn about power chords, the blues and roots of rock, and how to write riff-based songs. Other topics covered include developing your stage presence, gear, electric vs acoustic string instruments, using effects, learning iconic rock solos, thinking like a guitarist, and how to find your place in a rock arrangement. Bring your swagger and wear your tight leather pants!

Saturday, July 10th, 2021

9:00-10:15AM

Chris Haigh

Western Swing

Western Swing began in Texas in the 1930’s, bringing together elements of old-time country music and jazz, creating an exciting hybrid full of challenge and opportunity for the fiddler.

In this workshop I will introduce some of the techniques which transform a simple tune into a supercharged vehicle for expression and improvisation. We will use the classic “Right or Wrong”, and apply Texas-style ornamentation, drones, shuffles and swing, and apply some classic western swing hot licks in the style of Johnny Gimble and Vassar Clements.

Saturday, July 10th, 2021

10:30 – 11:45AM

Julie Lyonn Lieberman

The Inner and Outer Voice Can Fuel Your Music!

Julie will take three approaches to this session: tips re: breath control and the use of the voice without injury; how to strengthen ideas you articulate on your instrument by singing them first, and how to create and practice accompaniments as well as harmonies on your instrument while you sing.

Julie started singing while playing in 1974! She has composed for and sung in an off-Broadway show, on her five recordings, as well as for dance concerts. When she taught in New York City, she taught Broadway singers and several of her voice students—Vanessa Carlton and Putnam Murdoch—were nominated for a Grammy. Her DVD, Vocal Aerobics, is one of her best-selling videos.

Saturday, July 10th, 2021

1:00 – 4:30PM

Vi Wickam and Donna Hebert

American Fiddle Styles

American Fiddle Styles – Music is Geography

See how tunes changed and developed when they came to America! Trace a tune, Miss MacLeod’s Reel through six different regions, several keys and time signatures. Donna also breaks down the secrets of playing jigs with lift and lilt. Vi will help you learn to express your own voice through a fiddle tune, combining the sounds and patterns of tradition with your own original licks.

Saturday, July 10th, 2021

1:00 – 4:30PM

Tracy Silverman & Julie Lyonn Lieberman

Rhythmizing the Bow

Bowed string players tend to be far stronger at controlling and innovating melodic ideas with the left hand than playing with rhythmic accuracy and complexity with the right. Years spent with our focus on tuning every pitch and learning melodies has tended to mute strong rhythmic capabilities. 

This session will be about far more than chop technique or strum bowing, though we’ll touch on those techniques. We will provide you with wonderful rhythmic exercises you can use for daily practice and/or for your students if you teach. You will benefit from decades of rhythmic exploration and teaching techniques shared by Julie and Tracy, including how to integrate stronger rhythmic ideas into soloing, how to play backing lines, and so much more!

Saturday, July 10th, 2021

4:30 – 5:45PM

Donna Hebert

Fiddling with a French Accent

It’s ALL About The Rhythm!

Fiddling is a strong cultural marker for Franco-Americans, Acadians, Québecois, and Cajuns. I demonstrate fiddle tunes from three of my mentors (Acadian, Quebecois, and Cape Breton), tease apart their regional style differences, and teach the rhythm kick that’s the heartbeat of the style. Cajun fiddling also has its roots in Acadia, so I’ll teach one of my favorite Cajun tunes. Laissez les bon temps rouler!

Saturday, July 10th, 2021

4:30 – 5:45PM

Enion Pelta-Tiller

Galician Fiddling

Once considered a part of the Celtic tradition, now understood as distinct, music from the Spanish region of Galicia is well-loved and is now part of the repertoire of Irish and Scottish musicians the world over. Dip your toes into the well of this living fiddle tradition by learning a popular traditional Muiñeira and a modern waltz that you’ll be able to play at sessions from Santiago de Compostela to Dublin. 

Enion has been going to perform, teach, and learn in Galicia since 2015, and will share the interesting history of fiddling and traditional music there in addition to these great tunes and how to give them the appropriate Spanish flavor. Because this is a virtual course, Enion regrets that we will not be able to eat pulpo and drink Estrella Galicia after the session. 

Saturday, July 10th, 2021

4:30 – 5:45PM

Vi Wickam

Write an Original Fiddle Tune

Creating a new tune is a fun and rewarding endeavor. But the idea writing music often seems daunting—where do you even start? Will my music sound good? Join Vi in this interactive workshop as he reveals his secrets of writing fiddle tunes. Together we will create an original fiddle tune. You don’t have to “be creative” to take this class, but you do have to be willing to take a chance. Bring your fiddle and your sense of adventure.

Sunday, July 11th, 2021

9:00 – 12:30AM

Chris Haigh & Julie Lyonn Lieberman

Gypsy Jazz

Swing music is American-made. It’s an outgrowth of the blues, R&B, Boogie Woogie, Ragtime, Dixieland Jazz, jazz, and Big Band music of the 1930s and 40s. When swing headed west, it morphed into Western swing. Abroad, this style was picked up by Romani (Gypsy) guitarist, Django Reinhardt, who developed his own compositions and style with violinist Stephanne Grappelli. originally called “Hot Club” music in the states, the world gradually settled on “Gypsy Jazz.” Though the Romani people think of the G word as a slur, they’ve accepted this title as standard.

During this session, we will focus on:
1. How to capture the swing style with your bow;
2. Strategies for how to approach improvisation in the style
3. Repertoire

Nowadays, not all Gypsy Jazz tunes were composed by Django. You will receive a booklet of many of the most popular tunes in this style (in triple clef) as well as backing tracks (guitar and bass) for the tunes.

Sunday, July 11th, 2021

9:00 – 12:30AM

Joe Deninzon & Chuck Bontrager

Looping & Special Effects

HOW TO START, AND WHERE TO GO!

Acoustic and electric players are welcome – and you don’t have to own any pedals!

This class is all about live looping and effects.  We explore the benefits of looping for performance, composition, as a teaching aid, and as a tool to make you a better musician. We also demonstrate our favorite effects pedals, how we apply them in different musical situations, how we got started, and where you can begin.

The possibilities can feel overwhelming at first, but we’ll boil things down for you! If you can remember the basic types of instruments in a band, or the instrument families in an orchestra, you’ll ace this.

Effects are an extension of your instrument and a gateway to a world of sonic colors to enhance your writing and playing. Check out our class and dive into this beautiful world!

Sunday, July 11th, 2021

9:00-10:15AM

Vi Wickam

Learn Tunes Faster Thru Patterns

Learn the secret to learning tunes FAST! Memorizing a new fiddle tune may seem like a challenge today, but Vi will teach you how to break down a fiddle tune into logical chunks and internalize it faster than you ever knew was possible. You will never look at a fiddle tune the same again! Bring your fiddle, because we will learn a tune while we are at it, maybe more!

Sunday, July 11th, 2021

10:30-11:45AM

Vi Wickam

How to Improvise Over a Fiddle Tune

Have you ever wanted to learn how to improvise like a fiddler? Fiddle Improvising is different than improvising in Jazz or Rock and Roll. This interactive workshop will teach you tactics for how to improvise in fiddle tunes. We will work on how to go from playing the melody to really making a tune your own. Techniques covered include chord structure, arpeggiation, passing tones, accidentals, and more. Bring your fiddle and your questions.

Sunday, July 11th, 2021

1:00 – 4:30PM

Enion Pelta & Julie Lyonn Lieberman

Improvisation with Grace & Power

There are many ways to approach improvisation and believe me, Julie has explored and taught them all for over four decades. She looks forward to partnering with Enion to present a compilation of approaches.

Enion will help demystify integrating improvisation into your daily practice, bringing method to the mad fun of this huge subject. 

We’ll also address the emotional/pscyholgoical component to diving into the state of “I have no idea what I’m about to play, but I can’t wait to find out!”

 

Sunday, July 11th, 2021

1:00 – 4:30PM

Joy Adams & Abby Newton

Mullti-Style for Cellists Only

Joy Adams and Abby Newton are multi-style pioneers on cello and will provide you with left- as well as right-hand techniques, tips for how to deal with tunes that were originally meant to only be played on fiddle, and wonderful ideas for how to bring your individual voice onto your instrument.

Sunday, July 11th, 2021

4:30 –  5:45PM

Robb Janov

Build a Rock Strings Program!

Ignite your students and transform your orchestra program!  This session will provide a practical, easy-to-use ‘teacher toolkit’ that will address student engagement/voice, teamwork, recruitment, multi-styles/improvisation, fundraising, grant-writing and legislative appropriations.  Convert your administrators into allies and infuse joy into your students and teaching experience. Bring an instrument!

Sunday, July 11th, 2021

4:30 –  5:45PM

Tracy Silverman

Strum Bowing

Use Your Bow Like You’re Strumming a Guitar!

The Strum Bowing Method presents a clear and comprehensive approach for string players to easily learn how to play and teach the grooves in contemporary popular music. Popular music relies heavily on a strong background rhythm, or “groove.” Contemporary grooves are foundational to the study of guitar, drums and other instruments, and are essential to playing in jazz and rock ensembles. String playing, however, comes largely from the classical tradition grounded in 18^th and 19^th century European music. The result is that young string players are not being taught how to play the music of their own contemporary musical culture. The time has come to retool our playing, for ourselves, for our students, and for the greater groove!

This area of post-classical string playing is so new that a comprehensive pedagogy hasn’t yet been developed, and there is a palpable need for a simple, unified approach. Strum Bowing encompasses all the different alternative bow techniques—Chops, Shuffles, Ghost Notes, etc.—by targeting the common thread linking grooves in all styles: the subdivision of the beat.

The best entry point to contemporary popular styles is through rhythm, and for string players, the way to the rhythm is through the bow. With Strum Bowing, you physicalize the subdivision with your bow as if you were strumming a guitar, creating grooves by bringing out accents and dropping Ghost Notes.

In this session, we will approach Strum Bowing as

• Horizontal—often known by fiddlers as a shuffle
• Vertical—known to many as the Chop
• 3D Strum—the combination of horizontal and vertical bowing techniques for playing chords, melodies and/or bass lines

We’ll learn how to use grooves as the entry point to improvisation as well as how to bring rhythmic vitality to classical music.