2nd Period:

FOLK:

Whistle While You Work (Stewart)
The British Isles have a long tradition of songs to make the day go faster and the work smoother. While there are songs for almost every type of work, we will spend our time learning the music of traditional ‘women’s work’ and applying it to the fiber arts we all know and love (or are learning). This class is open to ALL instruments, voices, and levels of ability.

Whistle Ornamentation for Everyone (Buda)
Come one, come all with your flute, whistle, recorder, bagpipes, harp or strings! Join us on the folk side and enjoy learning all about the captivating sounds and ornaments of the Irish Whistle. We will explore these intrinsically celtic sounds through the tunes of the Celtic lands as well as through encouraging and enjoyable discussions about Celtic style and technique. This class is intended especially for those who are newer to the Celtic and folk idiom and would like to establish or broaden their knowledge of playing and imitating the Celtic style. Special notes will be given especially to recorder players as they learn the differences between recorder and its fippled cousin. Come prepared to play in the keys of D and G! 

EARLY:

Intro to the Renaissance Favorites (O’Brien)
We’ll play some of the Renaissance period’s greatest hits, the pieces whose popularity has endured through the centuries and which spawned a variety of revisions, divisions, fantasies, covers, and remixes. This session is perfect for those who are newer to Renaissance music, but also for anyone who just loves a great song. Most instruments and levels, as long as you can read music.

Elaborating upon the Renaissance Favorites (Kimball)
Many Renaissance composers used well-known songs and melodies as a jumping-off point for fantasies, dances, or elaborate ornamentation. We’ll explore a few examples of pieces that started with a popular tune and took it somewhere new. Most instruments, intermediate and up (chromatic notes and solid sight reading required).


3rd Period:

FOLK:

Folk Tunes from The Women: The story of women in folk music and their tunes (Buda)
All levels. This class will focus on contemporary folk music by women composers from all over the British Isles. Using a wonderful new collection, “Folk Tunes from the Women” as her guide, Rosalind will lead the class in lively discussions about tune writing, tradition, and how Women hold an important and sometimes overlooked voice in the tradition. This class will explore learning some tunes together and will have topics for discussion along the way as well. 

Harp-tastic Repertoire for All! (Stewart)
Most traditional musicians know a few tunes that were originally written for harp, but there is so much more to the repertoire! Come and explore what makes a tune better for one instrument than another and learn some harp-tastic repertoire that you haven’t heard before. This class is open to all instruments and levels of ability.


EARLY:

French Songs and Dances (O’Brien / Kimball)
We’ll focus on French chansons and the dances sometimes based on them. These can be soulful, joyful, tragic, and poetic, inspiring generations of Renaissance composers. All instruments and voices, all levels (this class may be split into sections or kept as one group, depending on numbers)



Evening Activity:
Lecture: “Weaving the world a better piece”:

Cloth is one of the most transformational pieces of technology you never think about. Where did it come from? What’s the difference between weaving fabric and weaving a basket? What kinds of equipment do you need to invent in order to make cloth, and why has it been so neglected by archaeology? Where do backstrap looms come from, and what can they weave?
Join us for a warp-speed journey through the story of cloth. Don’t be weft behind!

2nd Period
Harp 101 (Stewart):
“I always wanted to play the harp!” If you’ve ever thought it might be fun to try, this is your chance! This class will be for VERY beginning harp players. Class size is limited due to the availability of instruments, but we have harps and we need people to play them! This class will focus on establishing a good fundamental harp technique and trying your hand at something new.

FOLK:

The Appalacian-Celtic Connection (Buda)
All levels. Like the amazing mountain ranges between the US and Scotland that were once connected and now divided by the sea, there are deep ties between the people and music of Appalachia and the Celtic Isles. Come explore the ties of these kindred musics, following tunes and songs as they traveled from Ireland and Scotland to the Appalachian mountains. Be prepared to bring your voice and/or an instrument of choice to play in the keys of A and D.

EARLY:

Who’s afraid of sacred music? (Kimball/O’Brien): 
While sometimes forgotten behind the secular favorites, sacred music genres include some of the greatest masterpieces of the Renaissance. We’ll delve into the hymns, antiphons, and other sacred works that were so central to musical life in this time period. Most instruments and levels; this class may be split into sections depending on numbers.


3rd Period

FOLK:

Bird Watching… (Buda / Stewart)
We hope you come flocking to this fine feathered folk class to enjoy our theme of the day – Birds! Many folk tunes get their inspiration from the natural world, and the wild wonder of our avian friends is found up and down the coasts of our folk music. From the sea shore to deep inland, birds have inspired many a tune and many a tale. Join us with your instruments and voices in an exploration of birds in folk music!

EARLY:

Bird Watching… (Kimball / O’Brien) From the English Nightingale to the Greedy Hawk to the Silver Swan, the songs of the Renaissance are where the Faire meets the Fowl. And of course, no composer can resist flying off to do some text painting. Play and sing Renaissance pieces about birds. Possibly even by William Byrd. The Early Bird gets the earworm.
All instruments/voices, all levels. This class may be split into sections depending on numbers.


Evening Activity:

Open Mic, Sing Along, and Open Gallery Night:
Play a tune, tell a joke, perform a skit, lead a song, demonstrate a technique. We’ll provide some good songs to sing while crafting together in the Gathering Room. Meanwhile, we’ll set up a pop-up gallery around the circumference room with finished objects and artwork from anyone who wants to show off something you’ve created. Bring 1-2 items, along with tags, labels, or descriptions for display. This can be any kind of art you like – painting, pottery, jewelry, fiber arts, crafts, quilts, sculpture, etc, as long as it’s reasonably sized and not messy or noisy. You can also submit photos for a slideshow if you have project items that are too big to pack!

2nd and 3rd Period

FOLK:

Trad Session (Buda / Stewart)
Sessions are the bread and butter of traditional music – there is something magical about sitting around with your friends playing tunes you have in common. When you’re playing a public session, there are conventions and rules to follow and it can be intimidating! Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or you’re afraid to sit in, join us for a discussion and some tunes. All levels and instruments are welcome.

EARLY

Renaissance Collegium (Kimball / O’Brien)
Our Collegium topic this year will be the Spanish New World: Composers from Europe whose works were performed in the New World, pieces composed in the New World, and music by the indigenous people of the region. Open to all voices and instruments.


Evening Activity:
Faculty concert, thank-you’s, and group project presentations

Breakfast: 8:00
Check-out by 10AM