Banjo Camp May 17-19

Banjo Camp is coming right up- we’re only a few weeks away, a number of housing options are still available. 3 finger banjo, clawhammer, and old-time fiddle!  Schedule, program book, class list, packing list can all be found HERE Tee shirt design and printing by Betsy Heron  With your donations, we were able to give 9 scholarships (a mix of full and partial).  Thank you for your support and donations to our 501(c)(3)

Registration!  Options from Single day, to weekend with various levels of housing.  All registrations include meals. Registration INFO What to bring, housing options, campus map, etc Registration BANJO CAMP single day, weekend, housing Banjo Camp North factuly: Three-finger banjo: Bill Evans, Greg Cahill, BB Bowness, Joe Newberry, Greg Liszt, Murphy Henry, Grace van’t Hof, Gabe Hirshfeld, Gretchen Bowder, Max Wareham, David Kiphuth, Rich Stillman, Scott Hopkins, Bruce Stockwell, Glenn Nelson, Ken Thomas Clawhammer banjo: Adam Hurt, Joe Newberry, Riley Baugus, Michael Miles, John Herrmann, Brad Kolodner, Tim Rowell, Sara Grey, Maggie Shar, Matt Arcara, Howie Bursen, Lorraine Hammond, Bennett Hammond Old-time fiddle: Janie Rothfield, Craig Edwards, Brian Slattery PRELIM Schedule -jams to be added, and all subject to change-

Learn to Sing Harmony with Austin Scelzo! 

Good three-part vocal harmony can be the most exciting part of bluegrass and folk music. Learn the basic terminology of folk style harmony singing (Lead, Tenor, Baritone), how to find your first note, how to “stay in your lane” and not sing what the person next to you is singing, and how to blend. 

Learn to sing standards in perfect three-part harmony and develop a natural understanding and approach to harmony singing.

May 31, 7-9 PM

Sign up at: AustinScelzo.com/harmony

48th Annual Roxbury Pickin’ n Fiddlin’ Contest

Saturday July 13th at 2:00 PM – Fiddle contest with many categories and prizes:

-Old Time Fiddle

-Old Time Banjo

-Mandolin

-Trick and Fancy Fiddle

-Flat Pick and Finger Pick Guitar

-Bluegrass Banjo

-Band competition jr. and sr. prizes

Podunk Bluegrass Festival August 8-11

Have you bought your tickets yet to Connecticut’s #1 bluegrass event?

Rock Hearts at the Granite June 1

Sat, Jun 1 @ 7:00PM  (Two public bluegrass jams will precede this event, on April 22 and May 15th, both at 7PM)

Formed in 2013, Rock Hearts is composed of five seasoned New England musicians – Joe Deetz, Alex MacLeod, Billy Thibodeau, Austin Scelzo, and Rick Brodsky – who say they: “love to sing and pick bluegrass, old country tunes, and seek out tunes from other genres to ‘bluegrass-ify. 

Tickets available here

Bearsville Bluegrass Festival May 26

Get ready to kick off your Memorial Day Weekend with an electrifying celebration at Bearsville Theater in the heart of the majestic Catskills! Join us for an unforgettable experience filled with the soul-stirring rhythms of roots music and the toe-tapping melodies of bluegrass. It’s the perfect way to honor our heroes while immersing yourself in the beauty of nature and the thrill of live music. Don’t miss out on this epic weekend in the park!

• LIVE BLUEGRASS MUSIC 
• FANTASTIC LINE UP OF LIVE MUSIC
• DELICIOUS SEASONAL HOME-COOKED FOOD
• HANDCRAFTED DRINKS & COCKTAILS
• INSIGHTFUL HISTORY TOURS
• NATURE TRAILS WITH OUR OUTDOOR EXPERT
• FREE KIDS ACTIVITIES AND ENTERTAINMENT

We have ample cozy seating on luxurious outdoor sofas, complete with sun umbrellas for your comfort. And reserved pagoda seating areas with good stage views.  Whether you’re young or young at heart, there are lawn games galore for everyone to enjoy. Plus, we’ve planned special activities and entertainment specifically for the kids. And if you’re craving a serene escape, don’t miss the chance to relax by the tranquil Sawkill Creek.

Lawn chairs and picnic blankets are welcome.

Get your tickets here

2:15 PM Harmony singing class led by Phyllis Elkind

New Bluegrass Jams in CT at the Granite

Please join us at 7PM on May 15 for an open bluegrass jam!

Austin Scelzo hosts a community all-acoustic jam is designed for musicians who play stringed instruments – i.e. banjo, guitar, fiddle, mandolin, dobro and bass – and who have an interest in playing traditional and recent American fiddle tunes, old-time Appalachian repertoire, bluegrass and country standards. Interested, curious listeners and other non-participants are also welcome to attend/enjoy, including kids (with adult caregiver).

Granite Church, P.O. Box 90, 5 N. Main Street, Georgetown, CT 06829, Georgetown, CT

The Granite Church is a new community space in Georgetown, Connecticut. Housed in an inspiring historic church made of local granite, it offers a welcoming place to gather for meetings, workshops, rehearsals, performances, and to socialize. Their aim is to provide a beautiful space for community connection and artistic expression. In doing so, improve the daily-ness of our lives and become a beacon to others, promoting economic growth and tourism from within.

4TH THURSDAY BLUEGRASS JAM – New Haven

“Join us for our monthly 4th Thursday jam at Next Door Pizza in New Haven, hosted by Five ‘n Change.”

• Thursday, May 23, 2024
• 6:30 PM  9:00 PM
• Next Door Pizza175 Humphrey StreetNew Haven, CT, 06511United States (map)

Bluegrass Jam Class at Grey Fox July 15-17, 2024 in Oak Hill, NY

Enroll now in the Wernick Method Bluegrass Jam Camp prior to Grey Fox at the Oak Hill Fire House, across from the festival entrance. Led by banjo player and music educator, Scott Hopkins, you’ll be picking the first morning, ready to jam all weekend, and well on your way to playing bluegrass for a lifetime. You’ll be amazed at how much you’ll learn. Jump in! There’s no time like the present! Find out more! Check out the camp page and flyer. 

Pete Wernick’s Bluegrass Jam Camp Aug 25-30

All Bluegrass Skills Taught

9am-12:30pm: Daily classes for banjo, guitar, fiddle, mandolin, dobro, bass…AND… Coached small jam groups, intermediate/advanced.

1:50-5pm: coaching on harmony singing (one coach per trio), classes on songwriting, basic music theory, practice “boot camp”, playing under pressure, stagecraft, and more!

Activities every evening: fiddle tune jam, open mics, karaoke, history, jamming, beautiful sunsets!

Organized Bands: $65 Discount for Each Band Member

For band members registering together, to work together as a band throughout the week: $65 off each member’s tuition. Bands will have opportunities to perform and get performance coaching including working with a sound system on stage (band lab), band cohesion, rehearsal guidance, band decision-making, “how to make a band work”.

Band members must first contact Pete as a group, for approval of the group members’ band discount.

Sign up here

Bluegrass Camp at the Ashokan Center 2024

IBMA Mentor of the Year, Kimber Ludiker hosts this fun and friendly week of bluegrass instruction and jamming for fiddle, mandolin, banjo, guitar, bass, harmony singing, songwriting, and new this year… dobro!

Learn from inspirational teachers hand-picked to cultivate a magical learning experience.

There’ll be classes, concerts, mini-lessons, band scrambles, open mics and more.

All levels and backgrounds are welcome!

This year’s Fabulous Staff has been announced: Michael Daves (guitar), Joe Newberry (guitar), Vickie Vaughn (bass), Mike Compton (mandolin), Celia Woodsmith (vocals, songwriting), BB Bowness (banjo), Austin Scelzo (fiddle), Alex Sens (dobro, beginner lab), and your host Kimber Ludiker (fiddle.)

FOR INTERMEDIATE & ADVANCED PLAYERS: Get personalized feedback, improve your instrumental skills, and jam with players of a similar ability.

FOR BEGINNERS: The schedule will include one instrument class per day at a beginner level, plus plenty of time to practice what you learned and opportunities to jam at extra slow tempos with other beginners. “The teachers one-on-one were AMAZING. The supportive, encouraging and inclusive vibe was unlike anything I’ve ever felt before. The encouragement to try a new instrument surprised and delighted me.” “Loved the facilities, the physical location and place, even the food was great! Loved all of the people (so rare! every single person was amazing!)” “Plenty of time to jam. Great food. Great vibe. Positive energy.” “A staff like this makes any place a success!”