Fall Newsletter - Nov. 2008 - Coming Next Summer...
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Traditional Song Week, July 5-11
Fiddle Week, July 5-11
Celtic Week, July 12-18
Old-Time Music & Dance Week, July 19-25
Contemporary Folk Week, July 26-August 1
Guitar Week, July 26-August 1
Dulcimer Week, August 2-8

Each year, we continue to try to fine-tune the way we do things in response to the needs of a constantly expanding program. New for 2009:

New for 2008:
• Work on renovating Bryson Gym continues and we’ve been assured it will be ready to again serve as one of our principal activity areas by next summer.
• The Pavilion worked so well as a substitute for Bryson last summer that we plan on scheduling more events there for next summer’s workshops.
• During our first week (Traditional Song/Fiddle)we’ll be gaining the use of new classrooms on the second floor of Jensen, which should allow a little more room for growth in both of those expanding programs.
• Our sister program, the Swannanoa School of Culinary Arts will run over two weeks next year, July 12-18 and July 19-25. Call 828-301-2792 or visit www.schoolofculinaryarts.org for more info.
• For those families bringing small children, we will continue to provide evening childcare at no additional cost.
• During Traditional Song/Fiddle, Celtic and Old-Time Weeks, “Fantasy” will be the theme of our magical Children’s Program next summer with faeries, trolls, unicorns, elves, dragons, gnomes and wizards!

The Swannanoa Gathering is structured around what we call an ‘open format’, which allows students to create their own curriculum and take as many classes as there are periods in the day. We require that students register for specific classes, but allow them to switch after the first day into another, open class if they find they have made an inappropriate choice. After this ‘settling-in’ period, we expect that students will remain in those classes, and we discourage dropping in and out of classes during the week. This structure allows students considerable flexibility, and is an essential element of the program’s character and appeal. Many of our classes may include musical notation or tablature, though in general, we emphasize learning by ear.

In general, classes have a maximum of 15 students. Some may have more or less than this figure due to the nature of the subject or the discretion of the instructor, and limits for each class will be indicated in our catalog. Several of the 2007 workshops filled up early last year and we expect that trend to continue as more of our programs approach their limits, and although our schedule of classes is not currently complete, pre-registrations from this newsletter are encouraged. Folks may register with a tuition deposit of $100 and may reserve housing without a deposit. The deadline for pre-registration is Feb. 16. Pre-registrants will be sent a class schedule as soon as it is ready and given priority in class assignments. Full payment is required by June 5 to guarantee a space. After that date, class reservations will be unconfirmed until we receive the balance. If we are holding a space for a student in a class that is full, and their balance is unpaid after June 5, we may release that space to another student.

At present, we are completing our staff selections for next year, but many of our instructors have already confirmed. The online version of this newsletter will be continually updated with the most current staff roster. Here’s a peek at the 2009 lineup....

Our vocal program, Traditional Song Week, July 5-11, will build on last year’s momentum, offering a variety of traditional singing styles including Appalachian, Irish & Scottish ballads, gospel, shape-note, harmony duets, Carter Family, honky-tonk, sea songs and more. Confirmed so far are coordinator Julee Glaub and her music partner Mark Weems of Little Windows, Irish singer Daithi Sproule, Sing Out! Radio founder Matt Watroba, shape-note leader Matt Wojcik, African-American heritage singers Kim & Reggie Harris, Scottish balladeer Ed Miller, Thistle and Shamrock host Fiona Ritchie, blues & gospel singer Rev. Robert Jones, American song collector Jeff Warner, choir leader Milt Crotts, old-time and bluegrasss singer and songwriter Carl Jones with several more to come.

For next year’s Fiddle Week, July 5-11, coordinator Julia Weatherford has expanded the schedule again with new classes in Swedish and Québécois fiddle, as well as cajun, swing, Irish, Scottish, old-time, creole, & bluegrass. The week will also offer classes in guitar accompaniment, mandolin and cello. The staff currently includes Paul Anastasio (swing), Jamie Laval (technique), Laura Risk (Scottish/Québécois), Carl Jones (mandolin), Andrea Hoag (Swedish), Barbara Lamb (bluegrass), Dennis Stroughmatt (creole/blues), Joe Craven (improv.), Kimberley Fraser (Cape Breton), Brad Leftwich (old-time), Liz Knowles (Irish), Mike Block (cello), Natalya Weinstein (beginners), Roger Bellow (guitar), Flynn Cohen (guitar) with more to come.

Celtic Week, July 12-18, will again run in our second week slot, with some exciting new faces and classes, including the return of concertina taught by Grainne Hambly. So far the staff includes the great Irish fiddlers Kevin Burke, Martin Hayes, Manus McGuire and Liz Knowles, singer & guitarist Robbie O’Connell, Cape Breton fiddler Kimberley Fraser, guitarists Dónal Clancy and Eamon O’Leary, Scottish fiddler Jamie Laval, two members of Lúnasa: flute player Kevin Crawford and piper Cillian Vallely, Scottish folklorist Margaret Bennett, Celtic Week Host & flute player John Skelton, Irish dancer Danny Tighe, accordionist Martin Quinn, tenor banjoist Angelina Carberry, Irish singer Aoife Clancy, Scottish singer and folklorist Ed Miller, whistle player Kathleen Conneely, Scottish fiddler Jane MacMorran, harper Billy Jackson and string wizard Robin Bullock.

For the latest edition of Old-Time Music & Dance Week, July 19-25, coordinator Phil Jamison welcomes back several old friends to the staff, including Mike Seeger, Ginny Hawker & Tracy Schwarz, the Canote Brothers, Paul Brown, Mike Bryant and Terri McMurray. They join veterans Carol Elizabeth Jones, Bruce Greene, Rayna Gellert, Gordy Hinners, Ron Pen, John Herrmann, Meredith McIntosh, Don Pedi and Rodney Sutton, with more to be added. We will once again continue our tradition of visits by special Guest Master Artists from the senior generation of local traditional performers throughout the week. Classes will include fiddle, clawhammer banjo, guitar, mandolin, bass, clogging, square and contra dance, dance calling, southern harmony singing, string band, shaped-note singing and more.

Contemporary Folk Week, July 27-August 2, offers a week in artist development for all acoustic performers. Classes will include songwriting, performance, vocal coaching and more taught by an incredible lineup of performers passionate about their art and equally passionate about inspiring others to develop their own unique gifts. The staff so far includes Grammy-winner and two-time CMA Vocalist of the Year Kathy Mattea, Vance Gilbert, Peter Mulvey, Cliff Eberhardt, David Roth, Sara Hickman, Siobhan Quinn, Anais Mitchell, Kate Campbell and guitar theory guru Ray Chesna, with more to be added.

Guitar Week, July 27-August 2, offers classes in fingerstyle and flatpicking in a wide variety of styles, accompaniment and beginning guitar, as well as instruction in banjo, dobro and more. Coordinator Al Petteway has recruited the great fingerstylists Stephen Bennett, Doug Smith, Adam Rafferty and Craig D’Andrea, Pure Prairie League/Little Feat guitarist Craig Fuller, swing/blues guitarists Mike Dowling, Mary Flower and Scott Ainslie, Celtic heavyweight Robin Bullock, flatpicking whiz Orrin Star, Hawaiian slack key stylist Patrick Landeza, Grammy-winning dobro player Sally Van Meter, and bluegrass guitarist Ed Dodson. This year’s Luthier’s Exhibit will feature the guitars of master luthiers Gerald Sheppard (www.sheppardguitars.com), Michael Bashkin (www.bashkinguitars.com) and John Slobod (www.circaguitars.com) and instruments from the inventory of Dream Guitars (www.dreamguitars.com) located in nearby Weaverville, NC.

Dulcimer Week will once again run alone in its own time slot, from August 2-8. Coordinator Lois Hornbostel has developed an intimate, skills-based program featuring small classes and individual attention that covers both types of dulcimer. The 2009 staff includes mountain dulcimer instructors Bill Taylor, Jeff Hames, Susan Trump and Lorinda Jones, and hammered dulcimer instructors Walt Michael, Dan Landrum, Bill Troxler, Cindy Ribet, Ruth Smith and Ken Kolodner. The week will once again include visits from guest artists and a variety of special sessions.