2012 Workshops
Wanna Play? Here's your chance!
The workshop schedule for the 2012 Albuquerque Folk Festival is coming together.
All of these workshops are designed for festival goers' participation. Even if you don't have an instrument to play, workshop presenters and/or other participants can often loan you one or share theirs to give you chance for a little hands on. Don't be shy! Come join the fun! And if you do have an instrument at home, don't hesitate to bring it along. We have an instrument check room available from the festival start until 10:00 PM so you don't have to lug that instrument around all day if you don't want to.
One of the great things about the folk festival is that everybody participates. Performers are more than willing to share their expertise with everyone at the festival. This year, you'll find Paul Pino, Sid Hausman, Tim Hill, and members of the Alex Gomez Band leading workshops.
Workshops labeled with a (B) are especially targeted to beginners. If a workshop is labeled with an (I), it's for intermediate players.
Thanks to Scott Reeder for organizing the instrumental workshops and Art Brooks for organizing the vocal workshops.
Workshop Tent 1
| Time | Session | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10:30 AM | Introduction to Bodhrán (B) | Dain Forsythe | You'll feel the heartbeat of Irish traditional music when you learn the rudiments of how to play Ireland's drum. This is a hands on workshop for everyone. |
| 11:30 AM | Rhythm Bones (B) | David Wilson | Learn how to play this simple but versatile rhythm instrument. Bones can be played with almost any genre of folk music and fit nicely in your back pocket. A limited supply of bones will be available for use during the workshop. Otherwise, bring your own or buy yourself a pair for an affordable price from our vendors. |
| 12:30 PM | Apple Mountain Strings & Things | Apple Mountain String & Things | Albuquerque-based acoustic instrument club where players at all skill levels enjoy well-loved folk tunes with friends. Come and just listen, or bring your instrument and play along. |
| 1:30 PM | Mountain Dulcimer (B) | Irma Reeder | Spend some time enjoying this versatile instrument! It's easy and fun to get started. We'll cover some basics for beginners, then enjoy playing songs with parts for all skill levels. Come and play along! Some instruments provided. Irma is the 2009 Colorado State and 2011 Texas State mountain dulcimer champion. She is also co-founder and director of the New Mexico Dulcimer Festival. |
| 2:30 PM | Build a Washtub Bass | Cliff Johnson | Learn how to build and play a Washtub Bass by building one with a 5-gallon pail. Materials provided, take your finished instrument home with you (and play it at other festival activities). |
| 3:30 PM | Beginning Banjo (B) | Pat Neff | Basic rolls (and not a drum!) Get started with 3 finger style banjo. Basic chords, pinches and rolls and how to fit them into songs. Bring your banjo!!!! |
Workshop Tent 2
| Time | Session | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10:30 AM | Mandolin (B) | Laurie Phillips | Bring your ax and learn which end is right (and don't be left). You don't need to read music ... but we won't hold it against you if you can! We'll discuss the local music scene, point to some things to work on, and practice some basic moves and tactics. And we WILL learn a tune. As always: a handout to take home! |
| 11:30 AM | Tin Whistle (B) | Andy Moss | Workshop for whistle beginners. In one hour, play a few tunes. Have lots of fun. |
| 12:30 PM | Banjo (I) | David Margolin | Members of old-time bands may think that clawhammer banjo tunings are intended solely to irritate people who play less idiosyncratic instruments. While that is largely the case, they also enable us banjo players to negotiate some old-time tunes with elegance and efficiency. This is especially true of the focus of this workshop, "double-C" based G tunings, which make otherwise awkward tunes very enjoyable to play. A number of common G tunes will provide proof of concept. |
| 1:30 PM | Hammered Dulcimer (B) | Scott Reeder | If you can tap a tune out on a table top, then you can play hammered dulcimer. Come check out this many-stringed instrument, and see how fun it is to play! |
| 2:30 PM | Harmonica (B) | Alex Hastings | Blues harmonica player Alex Hastings will be hosting this introductory harmonica workshop. He has been playing for over 9 years and teaching the harmonica for 3. Bring a harmonica in the key of C, or buy an inexpensive one from one of our festival vendors before the workshop. |
| 3:30 PM | Klezmer Music | Beth Cohen | Klezmer refers to the the dance music of the eastern European Jewish people. Learn to play a klezmer dance tune with Beth Cohen: a long-time ABQ music teacher and folk musician, Community Klezmer band director since 1995, co-producer of KlezmerQuerque & band member of The Rebbe's Orkestra & Goddess of Arno. All levels of musicians and all instruments are welcome. http://www.nahalatshalom.org - or if you'd rather have the exact but longer link for the klezmer band page it is: http://nahalatshalom.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=25&Itemid=56 |
Workshop Tent 3
| Time | Session | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10:30 AM | Route 66 Sound | Route 66 Sound | We are an acapella chorus whose goal is to create exciting and smile-inducing performances that push the envelope of the barbershop art form. Our members are committed to independent/self-motivated study of our barbershop music and principles in order to achieve this goal. |
| 11:30 AM | Timothy Hill Harmonic Singing | Timothy Hill | Harmonic singing, originating with Tuvan throat singing, is a way of singing and listening with acute attention to the overtone spectrum of the voice, producing a sound at once otherworldly and deeply human. Harmonic singing deepens and enhances the natural voice, giving singers a direct experience of the physical laws of sound, powerful insight into the nature of harmony and a glimpse at the roots of human language and song. |
| 12:30 PM | Jaw Harp (B) | Ken Dean | Symphony musician Ken Dean will go over basic techniques for this ancient mouth-resonated instrument. Feel free to bring your own instruments. There will be a limited number of instruments available for $6.00 each at the workshop. |
| 1:30 PM | Shape Note Singers | Shape Note Singers of Albuquerque New Mexico | The Shape note Singers of Albuquerque New Mexico formed about 1991. It is a participatory group rather than a performing one and it is open to everyone. The style of the hymns and anthems we sing date back to the colonial period of the United States, and they are sung unaccompanied in four part harmony. The shapes of the notes help the singer to learn the relative pitches within the song. Typically, there is little in the way of dynamics, so the songs are sung loudly and often with considerable exuberance. With practice, even a beginner can begin to read music and sing along with us. |
| 2:30 PM | North American Fiddle (I) | Bruce Thomson | Because we're a melting pot, North America has more styles of traditional fiddle music than any other continent; styles that include the rustic crooked music of the desert southwest and Mexico, the rhythmic old timey dance music of the Appalachians, the smooth intricate swing of Texas, and the lyric and bouncy music of New England. This workshop explores the differences in styles by teaching tunes in some of these different styles. |
| 3:30 PM | Cowboy/Country Gospel | Wing and a Prayer | Old-time, cowboy, country gospel band that combines lively vocals with a multitude of acoustic instruments from the familiar to the unusual. |
| 4:30 PM | Celtic Singers | Celtic Singers of New Mexico | The Celtic Singers of New Mexico is a group dedicated to the study, preservation, and enjoyment of traditional-style song from the Celtic lands, including Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and others. Many of the songs we sing are in Scots Gaelic; others are in Broad Scots dialect with occasional forays into Welsh, Irish, and English. We will be teaching a small selection of songs, each a representation of various traditions, including tweed-walking (work songs), mouth music, and others. All are welcome to join us! |
| 5:30 PM | Albuquerque Song Circle | Albuquerque Folk Song Circle | FIRST FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 8:00 P.M. TO MIDNIGHT Each participant in the circle may lead a song, do a solo, request a song, or pass. Bring enthusiasm, songbooks, instruments, beverages/snacks, kids, and friends. Contact: Rodema Ashby 999-0035 Email: mrashby@gmail.com |
Indoor Workshop 1
| Time | Session | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10:30 AM | Irish Fiddle (I) | Gary Papenhagen | We'll take a hands-on look at Irish Fiddling ornaments, basic rhythms, and a simple little jig, "Blackthorn Stick" will be taught by ear. |
| 11:30 AM | Fingerstyle Guitar (I) | Pat Neff | Movement in the bass - work on basic fingerpicking and moving bass lines between chords to help nake our playing more interesting and involved. Bring Your Guitar!!!! |
| 12:30 PM | Sadaqah | Sadaqah | Founded by Beth Beaver in 1996, Sadaqah is an ensemble of friends. Sadaqah is a word that means "friendship" in several middle-eastern languages. It has also come to represent an ideal of good will and mutual respect that transcends languages, cultures and borders. A unique group of musicians gather under the banner of Sadaqah to bring their talent and message to a world hungry for peace and harmony, not to mention fun! |
| 1:30 PM | Harmony Singing | JeeZ LaweeZ | This all-girl trio breaks the rules of common sense and good taste with an eclectic mix of smart-alecky originals and tangy interpretations. Listen to the luscious harmonies and solid musicianship. |
| 3:30 PM | Ukulele (B) | Michael Veseart with High Desert Sand Fleas Ukulele Club | This workshop is intended to be an introduction to this fun and portable instrument - learn strumming, a few chords and techniques that will get you playing - Loaners available. Hawaiian shirts are optional. |
Indoor Workshop 2
| Time | Session | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11:30 AM | Tohono O'odham Fiddle | Alex Gomez | Alex Gomez will teach fiddle tunes that are the roots of Chicken Scratch or Waila music. Wonderfully melodic polkas, waltzes, two-steps and cumbias will satisfy your desert palate. These tunes have been referred to as Gu-achi tunes. |
| 12:30 PM | Picking Instruments | Sid Hausman | In this workshop we'll explore how to pick an instrument appropriate for a particular type of music. The 6-string guitar, 12-string guitar, 5-string banjo, tenor ukulele, baritone ukulele, bones and harmonicas are some of the instruments we will consider. Several factors to consider when deciding which instrument to accompany a song: • Rhythm and Tempo Slow, medium or fast, a waltz or a polka; does it swing? • Style Influences the choice of instrument most appropriate for the type of song; blues, swing, folk, ballad, bluegrass, country, western, etc. • Mood Happy, sad, melancholy, dark, bright, sweet, uplifting or humorous, etc. • Melody Simple, complex, minor key, major key, melodious? Here's a full description of the instruments: http://abqfolkfest.org/docs/HausmanWorkshop.pdf |
| 1:30 PM | Harmony Duets | Laurie Lewis and Tom Rozum | Learn how to find and use harmonies, intervals and pitch to produce pleasing songs. No experience required. |
| 2:30 PM | Hispano Folk Music | Paul Pino | Living New Mexico Hispano Folk. Rancheras, waltzs, polkas, Latin. Intended to make you laugh, cry, dance, or all three at once. Bring ANY instrument. |
| 3:30 PM | Tub Talk | "Washtub" Jerry | Washtub Jerry likes to give his tub talks after he has performed at a given event. He's done this regularly for years at Lubbock, Alpine, and Prescott. The format is simple; he performs a bit and then lets folks ask questions. Their questions more than fill the allotted time. Who isn't curious about the washtub bass? |