Mountain Music School • July 28th - August 1st 2008
About Mountain Music School
For many years, Mountain Empire Community College (MECC) has trained and educated the local workforce of Southwest Virginia. Equally important, MECC has been the area's cultural center for Appalachian crafts and music. For the past 34 years, Home Craft Days has been the premier festival celebration of Appalachian culture and music in the region, for students and adults interested in learning "claw-hammer" banjo styles and guitar. More recently, the College has broadened the program offering classes in string band, shape-note singing, beginning and intermediate fiddle and traditional ballads.
The 4th Annual Mountain Music School will bring together students of all ages for a week of learning, music, and fun. The Mountain Music School is dedicated to the preservation and continuation of Appalachian music and culture and will offer "ear training" classes in beginning "old-time" fiddle, claw-hammer banjo, folk guitar, mandolin, dulcimar.
A string-band class for intermediate/advanced musicians (guitar, banjo, fiddle, mandolin, bass) will be offered if there is enough interest. In the future, classes will be added as may be requested by students.
The faculty from MECC's traditional music program will include well-known local musicians Todd Meade, Ron Short, Joan Short, and Steve Souther. Students will also be treated to class visits and afternoon concerts by master musicians. All afternoon concerts will be open and free to the general public as well. The Mountain Music School will wrap-up on Friday afternoon, August 3, with a celebration and student/instructor concert open to family and friends of students and faculty. All students will receive a Mountain Music School tee-shirt and as an extra special bonus will have the opportunity to attend the "world famous" Carter Fold Music Festival (August 3-4) in Hiltons, Virginia.
The Mountain Music School will enroll youth and adults ages 10 and over. The School will be offered for one week
July 28th - August 1st 2008 and will operate from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, on the Mountain Empire Community College campus in Big Stone Gap, Virginia. |
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Tuition
Tuition is $150.00 for both youth and adults and a limited number of "youth scholarships" are available. In addition, a limited number of instruments (banjos, fiddles, and guitars) will be "loaned" to students.
Class size is limited, so early registration is encouraged to ensure your place in this exciting musical adventure.
For enrollment information call 276-523-7489 or email sboatright@me.vccs.edu.
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