Join us for an upcoming workshop! Your date with the arts.
Workshops are special, one-time experiences of music and dance with master teachers at the Old Town School of Folk Music. Low in time commitment but high in artistry, workshops are timely, engaging, and dynamic sessions targeted to serve participants with varied interests and goals.
The typical duration of a one-day workshop is an hour and a half to two hours, but we also offer intensives and multi-day or multi-week options. Workshops costs are dependent on length, specialty, and teaching artist, and some are funded by grants to make them low-cost to you. Each week we host something or someone new, so check back often!
Get the lowdown on how it’s done from seasoned professionals. Win a chance to have a song of yours reviewed by the agency. [more info]
Theory and Composition with Python combines the heart and soul of music with the infinite creativity of computer programming, and opens the door for a new generation of exploration and evolved music. [more info]
Classic Soul unplugged for acoustic guitar. [more info]
Join us as we take a look at songwriting at this online dialogue/Q& A with the popular and prolific songsmith Steve Dawson [more info]
Each workshop will concentrate on a single tune. Take them all or choose the ones you want. We’ll approach Smokey Robinson’s classic “I Second That Emotion” [more info]
Each workshop will concentrate on a single tune. Take them all or choose the ones you want. Carole KIng is truly one of America's greatest songwriters, and this is one of her greatest songs released in 1971 with this modulation that is exquisitely inventive. Give it a try. [more info]
Robben address ways to break out of old pentatonic habits and open you and your guitar up to further musical possibilities. He will take questions from participants on any subject they wish to discuss, be it playing or his musical life and experiences. [more info]
Take a look at the styles of one of the seminal figures of fingerpicking; the late great John Fahey. [more info]
Learn about Drake's unique guitar tunings as we explore songs from this musician's all-too-short career [more info]
Each workshop will concentrate on a single tune. Take them all or choose the ones you want. Penned in 1932 and sung by all the greats, this song lends itself perfectly to instrumental fingerstyle guitar. Give it a try. [more info]
Rhythm is the powerful and expansive, but all too infrequently taught musical ingredient that you can not live without when playing jazz guitar. [more info]
Some songs are common to the playlists of many of the Melanized USan banjoists we know of. Some we know were ubiquitous. Let’s look at the stories behind these common Black banjo tunes, and get to playing a few of them. Examples of tunes we might cover include Raise a Ruckus Tonight, Corinne, Fishing Blues, and Colored Aristocracy. [more info]
The band that became the Chocolate Drops started in my garage. Let’s sing some of their fun tunes including Corn Bread & Butter Beans, Hit ‘Em Up Style, Why Don’t You Do Right?, Dona Got a Ramblin’ Mind, Old Joe Clark. [more info]
The classic clawhammer “bum-diddy” rhythm just doesn’t work on all songs. In this workshop, we’ll do left-hand chording and incorporate some more modern rhythm in the right, playing a ‘50s R & B classic, and one from Motown and Curtom. Examples of songs we might hit on include A Lover’s Question, I Heard it Through the Grapevine, Hit ‘Em Up Style, (SItting on) The Dock of the Bay. [more info]
Post-African people in all/any of the Americas found themselves under pressure to be working machines, and not people of culture. Part of that resistance and survival was the use of songs; some overt, some subtle. Let’s play a few: Raise a Ruckus Tonight, Run, Shine, Dancing in the Streets, Redemption Song, Guantanamera. [more info]
We all know the banjo’s ancestors reside in Africa. Given that, let’s play some songs from different parts of the Motherland - West, North and South Africa—on the banjo! For example, we might look at Jalidong, Faden Kele, Mbube, Fanga Alafia, Toura Toura Tour Kelilah, Mansana Cisse. [more info]
The Africans who interacted with European colonizers absorbed the European’s instruments, and created their own music. Let’s play a few songs from those traditions: Kiya Kiya, Pata Pata, Grazin’ in the Grass, Mbube. [more info]
This classic Hank Williams song was #1 hit in 1952 spending 14 weeks at the top of the chart. This is played by every beginning guitar students, but the tune sounds way better (with respect) on the banjo because you can deliver that cajun groove. [more info]
Written in 1964 and recorded by Martha and the Vandellas, as well as the Mamas & Papas, this song came to symbolize the 1960's. As a fingerstyle guitar piece it's just flies right off the guitar. [more info]
It was 1857 in Massachusetts--a few years before the Civil War and originally called "One Horse Open Sleigh." Regardless it comes to life in the most delightful way on the banjo. And time permitting we'll throw in another Christmas tune as well. [more info]
Always wanted to play Bach but have been afraid to try? This is the perfect tune to start with. We'll actually change it to the key of C, but the banjo sounds beautiful delivering Bach's brilliant melody written in 1725. [more info]
With its iconic bassline, this was just one example of Motown's magical response the Beatles. Fingerstyle guitar allows you to lay down that bassline and weave the melody on top. A thrilling guitar experience. [more info]
Staying home for the holidays is the perfect time to step into this magical tune that has come our way care of Charlie Brown and Vince Guaraldi. It is a beautiful and not too difficult piece for fingerstyle guitar. [more info]
