Handmade Music School Workshops offer unique learning experiences in music or dance with master teachers at the Floyd Country Store. The workshops are timely, engaging, and dynamic sessions targeted to serve participants with varied interests and goals. Register today for a shorter 1-2 hour workshop, an all-day learning experience, or a multi-day camp!
Please read our Workshop Refund and Cancellation Policies prior to check out.
If you need assistance in paying for a workshop, check out our Share the Music Scholarships.

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March 2022
Have you ever experienced the magic of singing harmony with others? Do you like old time and country duets? Do you simply like to sing? Through a wonderful repertoire of songs we’ll spend this class practicing concepts of lead and harmony singing: building confidence by first spending time learning the melody, then finding the tonic and building a chord, and adding baritone and tenor parts. We will give special attention to lyrical and melodic phrasing, listening to each other and practicing to learn more about what makes a song or singer stand out and pull at our heart strings. Bring a song notebook, a writing utensil, and a recording device if you like. Let’s sing!
Find out moreSouthwest Virginia has a distinct and vibrant tradition of old time dance music that continues to get people moving on the dance floor to this day. Local master musicians Mac Traynham and Andy Buckman will delve into some of their favorite tunes and stories sourced from locals in Floyd and the surrounding counties. Please bring a recording device so that you can take these tunes home with you!
Find out moreThis upright bass workshop will emphasize providing a solid rhythm for jams and band settings. Participants will get to practice good left and right hand techniques while familiarizing themselves with the finger board. Sure there’s gonna be lots of 1-5 but we’ll work on incorporating and understanding bass runs too!
Find out moreThis collaborative workshop will focus on duo playing and how musicians adapt to each other's playing depending on who we're playing with, instrumentation, and other variable factors. We'll demonstrate examples of folks who don't play much together compared with folks who do play regularly together to show the importance of listening, fluidity, and flexibility when playing music in unfamiliar settings.
Find out moreLearn songs and stories from the rich folk music tradition of Southwest Virginia with local master musicians Mac Traynham and Andy Buckman. Reeb Willms and Caleb Klauder will also share their perspective on these songs and the influence that the music of this region has had in the development of their own repertoire. Please bring a recording device so that you can take these songs home with you!
Find out moreThis class will focus on tunes from the Fauquier County, Virginia fiddler, John Ashby. His playing is ever-inspiring to me and I always go back to his three amazing LPs from the 1970's on County Records when I need a good fix of real old time fiddling. I'll start by teaching tunes that have a repetitive bowing pattern throughout both the A and B parts and we'll move on to other tunes that just vary slightly in their patterns. After a few tunes are learned this way and certain bowing patterns are recognized, it should be easier to hear these rhythms in other tunes and should be helpful for learning new tunes.
Find out moreBanjo-playing participants will be invited one at a time to join Adam on fiddle and Beth on guitar, playing a tune of their choice at their preferred tempo. Friendly feedback will be provided before and after each collaboration on how to make the blending of instruments as successful as possible. This is a great workshop for folks who have developed a bit of comfort on the banjo in a vacuum but are not quite sure how to play with the other instruments and/or do not feel ready to jump into an open jam.
Find out moreThe Handmade Music School presents and evening of square dancing on Saturday, March 26, 2022 at 8:00pm at The Floyd EcoVillage. The dance includes a stellar lineup of musicians and the calling of the talented Phil Jamison, in a hall with great sound and a wooden floor. Tickets are $8 online or at the door. Children under 12 get in free. Come early at 7:00pm for our staff concert, which is open to campers and ticket holders for the dance.
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