2013 Workshops
Wanna Play? Here's your chance!
The workshop schedule for the 2013 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 Peter Ostroushko, Timothy Hill, Notorious, Jack Williams, Jimmy Abraham, and more giving 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 Debbie Muldawer for organizing the vocal workshops.
Workshop Tent 1
| Time | Session | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10:30 AM | BYOG! (Bring Yer Own Guitar!) (B) | Pat Neff | A folk festival can be much more fun if you're playing. Beginning guitar workshop for people who are just learning to play. We'll touch on some chords, strums and a few songs to work on. |
| 11:30 AM | Banjo-Fiddle Duets | Wayne Shrubsall & Bruce Thomson | In bluegrass and traditional music, few instruments complement one another as well as the banjo and the fiddle. Together they provide a spare and percussive sound that can be raucous or sweet depending on the tune and the players. This workshop will illustrate the symbiotic nature of the banjo and fiddle, will discuss when the duet works and why, and will teach a couple of banjo-fiddle tunes. Banjo players will be encouraged to sit next to fiddle players. |
| 12:30 PM | Apple Mountain Strings & Things Folk Club | 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 | 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 | 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. |
| 3:30 PM | ABC's of Banjo! | Pat Neff | Using the I, IV. V chord progressions up the neck. Play some of the songs you already know on upper positions on the banjo neck. A great step to being a better banjoist. |
| 4:30 PM | Band Scramble Practice |
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 | Build a Washtub Base | 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). |
| 12:30 PM | Tin Whistle (B) | Andy Moss | Workshop for whistle beginners. In one hour, play a few tunes. Have lots of fun. |
| 1:30 PM | 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. |
| 2:30 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. 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 |
| 3:30 PM | Old Time Fiddle (I) | Steve Hickman | Kentucky State Champion in Old Time fiddle and renowned dance band fiddler Steve Hickman will share his fiddle-playing expertise. |
| 4:30 PM | Band Scramble Practice |
Workshop Tent 3
| Time | Session | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10:30 AM | Women's Barbershop | Route 66 Sound | This a capella chorus creates exciting performances that push the envelope of the barbershop art form. Come learn about female barbershop singing and join in the experience. |
| 11:30 AM | Albuquerque Accordion Club | Albuquerque Accordion Club | The club provides a regular forum where accordion players of all skill levels, beginners to advanced, have a place to play for and with like-minded other people in a supportive, non-competitive atmosphere. |
| 12:30 PM | Shape Note Singers | Shape Note Singers of Albuquerque New Mexico | Learn a way of reading music that dates back to 1801. Learn about this unique tradition while singing in four-part harmony. All vocal parts are welcome. No experience is necessary. |
| 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 | Welsh Choir | Tan y Ddraig Welsh Choir | Rhianwen Gerard will present the words to a couple of fairly easy songs. The group will demonstrate the music first to give people an idea of what to sing. After that, the songs will be sung in a circle format with experienced singers interspersed with the learners. |
| 3:30 PM | Cowboy/Country Sing-along | Wing and a Prayer | Founded in 2004, Wing and a Prayer's primary purpose is to play free of charge at nursing homes and elder care facilities. However, people of all ages enjoy the repertoire. Come join us in singing and playing the timeless genres of country gospel, cowboy, and old-time fiddle. |
| 4:30 PM | NM Celtic Singers | Celtic Singers of New Mexico | Enjoy listening to and singing choral and work songs in Scots Gallic, Broad Scots and English. |
Workshop 4 Indoors
| Time | Session | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10:30 AM | Story Song Lyrics | Jimmy Abraham | Jimmy Abraham's songs are examples and explorations of narrative in song. The deep connection between music and storytelling informs his work through styles that range from lyrical ballads to talking blues to raucous, sometimes bawdy, humor. From the smallest, most intimate tragedy to the wildest, most wide-flung comic forms, Abraham uses the voices of recognizable human characters to craft tales that transport his audience to settings as widely varied as his own experience. From his birthplace in Chicago and his home in New Mexico, from his childhood in Oklahoma and his years living in South America, Abraham brings a depth of life and a courage that turns away from neither the world's sorrows nor its joys. His political work has been featured on NBC and National Public Radio. His songs have won a variety of awards and been covered by bands from Seattle to New York and played on independent radio from Georgia to California. He presently plays with The Adobe Brothers, Cheap Shots, and the fabulous Fiasco Brothers as well as playing solo performances. His second CD, "Songwriters' Notebook Vol. 2," came out in 2006. |
| 11:30 AM | Harmony Singing | Holy Water and Whiskey | This is your chance to experience being wrapped up in harmonies - tenor, alto, baratone, gospel or folk, home is where the harmonies are. Holy Water & Whiskey has been playing in Albuquerque for 7 years. Scott, Maggie, and Bruce - with Maria on sound - lift people up with their gospel, leave 'em on the range with their cowboy music, and lay 'em on the bar with their Irish, folk, and traditional music - covers and originals. Dancing and humming along are sweet with their harmonies. Their 3 CDs are available on CD Baby. |
| 12:30 PM | Irish Fiddle (I) | Gary Papenhagen | We'll take a quick hands-on look at the Irish fiddle ornaments and spend the rest of the time working on Hornpipe and Jig styling. We'll use the Harvest Home Hornpipe (D major) to look at the hornpipe rhythm, and Eileen O'Riordan's Slide (A minor) to practice Jig bowing. Sheet music will be available, but the Slide will be taught by ear if there's time. |
| 1:30 PM | Harmonica (B) | Alex Hastings | Blues harmonica player Alex Hastings will be hosting this introductory harmonica workshop. He has been playing for over 11 years and teaching the harmonica for 5. Bring a harmonica in the key of C, or buy an inexpensive one from one of our festival vendors before the workshop. |
| 2:30 PM | Jaw Harp (B) | Kenneth 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. |
| 3:30 PM | Ukulele (B) | 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. |
| 4:30 PM | Band Scramble Practice | ||
| 5:30 PM | Clave: Latin World Beat | Consuelo Luz | Learn about "clave", the contrapuntal musical beat that originated in Africa and spread into Latin and World Music |
Workshop 5 Indoors
| Time | Session | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10:30 AM | Harmonic (Throat) Singing | Timothy Hill | Timothy Hill is well known for his talents as a vocal artist. By using his vocal chords in unique ways, he can produce multiple pitches at the same time. Come to this workshop to listen to Mr. Hill and experiment with your own voice. |
| 11:30 AM | A Round and a Round | Debbie Muldawer | Come learn all about rounds, including the history of the round, the oldest rounds, types of rounds, children's rounds, and others. Enjoy the benefits of harmony while singing a single melody around and around and around again. |
| 12:30 PM | Learning to Sing | Cliff Johnson | This workshop will incorporate important basic elements of singing such as breathing, posture, the care of the voice, dynamics, and creating resonance. |
| 1:30 PM | Improv/Tunewriting | Notorious | Eden Macomber-Somer, doctoral candidate in Contemporary Improvisation at the New England Conservatory of Music, and Larry Unger, who has written more than 600 tunes, share their tunewriting and improvisation knowledge. |
| 2:30 PM | All Things Mandolin | Peter Ostroushko | Spend an hour with renowned mandolinist Peter Ostroushko. Peter will demonstrate and teach mandolin techniques, and answer questions as only he can do. |
| 3:30 PM | The Songwriter's Guitar | Jack Williams | With an emphasis is on the creative process rather than on the technique of making music, this workshop will consider every aspect of the guitar in the songwriting process - from initial ideas to finished performance. |
| 4:30 PM | Band Scramble Practice | ||
| 5:30 PM | Finger Style Blues Guitar | Larry Unger | Master guitarist Larry Unger will show tunes from masters of the Piedmont and Mississippi Delta styles with tips on how to make your playing come alive and in how to play better in the appropriate styles. |
