The Floyd Youth Get Together

Registration

To register for the event, please complete the following steps:

Step 1: Complete the registration form here

Step 2: Purchase your tickets here

Please submit the registration form before purchasing your tickets. If you are applying for a scholarship, we will contact you with further instructions before making your payment.

Cost

The Floyd Youth Get Together Camp is $250. Early Bird registrations will save 20% off ($200) from March 10 through May 5, 2023.

Families who have more than one child registering may receive a sibling discount. Families with multiple registrants will receive a 20% discount on additional siblings ($200). Early Bird registrations will save 10% off  the sibling discount ($180) from March 10 through May 5, 2023.

The camp includes a special Handmade Music School Youth Get Together T-Shirt, snacks, and all learning materials are provided. Camp participants will need to bring their instruments, however instruments may be provided by Handmade Music School if requested.

Scholarships

Families may apply for financial support through the Handmade Music School’s Share the Music Scholarship Program. Scholarships can cover up to 50% of the fee and in some cases will provide a full scholarship, based on need.

Cancellation Policy

Registration fees are fully refundable if cancellation is made 14 days before the program registration is closed. If cancellation is made after registration is closed, only 50% of the registration fee will be refunded. Registration will end 14 days prior to the first day of camp. (*In case of emergency, refund policy can be discussed with Handmade Music School faculty).

If you have questions about our registration, costs, or discounts please contact dylan@handmademusicschool.com.

Sophie Moeckel

Sophie Moeckel grew up surrounded by music in the Blue Ridge mountains. She fell in love with the community aspect of old time music as a Floyd JAMs (Junior Appalachian Musicians) student, where she later taught fiddle and dance and served as assistant director. She’s been a part of the Handmade Music School team since it’s beginning, serving in many roles throughout the years including Director of Operations and fiddle teacher and is passionate about passing along Appalachian music and dance traditions. Sophie has extensive experience working with children both in classroom and after-school settings. She directs a farm and art-based summer camp and spent the last few years teaching first grade at a Waldorf School in Maine. She loves sharing the joy of music by playing for dancers at the Friday Night Jamboree at The Floyd Country Store, jamming and dancing with friends, and most of all teaching and inspiring young people. She’s currently pursuing studies in Environmental Education, Craft, and Traditional Music at Warren Wilson College, but is excited to Get Together with youth this summer in Floyd!

Hanna Traynham

Hanna was born into old-time music. Her parents, Mac and Jenny Traynham, are musicians who raised their family in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Hanna plays clawhammer on an open-back banjo Mac made when she was a baby. She loves singing harmonies and playing backup guitar. Like the music, the Appalachian mountain landscape makes her heart sing.

Andy Buckman

Andy has played clawhammer banjo and sung in church since childhood. He has performed and recorded with Mac and Jenny Traynham, the Reed Island Rounders, and the Wolfe Brothers, and has taught at numerous workshops. His music is rooted in the playing of Wade Ward, Abe Horton, and Harold Hausenfluck. Andy teaches both fretted and fretless banjo in traditional Blue Ridge clawhammer and thumb lead styles.

Additional teacher information coming soon.

Teacher Qualifications

Our Instructors have a long affiliation with the Handmade Music School and with Floyd’s Junior Appalachian Musician program as well as being long-standing and caring members of the Floyd musical community.

The Handmade Music School is extremely careful when considering who will be teaching at our Youth Get Together Camp. All of our teachers are experienced teachers, mentors (and some parents) who have been involved in our traditional music and dance community and have produced and worked for youth music programs for many years.

All of our teachers are required to go through our safety procedures before hired. This includes:

• A background check
• Mandatory HMS teacher meetings that include program training, policy updates, and emergeny preparedness training
• Trained in Covid-19 protocols
• Certain teachers are certified in First Aid & CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation).
• Qualified to teach music and dance curriculum and produce activities that are fun for the children while offering educational value

Sample Day Schedule

• 9am – Check in, morning games and free play
• 9:15am – 9:30 warm-up group jam sessions
• 9:30-10:30 – 1st class period
• 10:30-11:00 – Snack and stories
• 11:00-12:30 – 2nd class period with workshop options
• 12:30-1:00 Lunch and play
• 1:00-1:30 Enrichment/Performances
• 1:30-2:00 Jamming and dancing time/one-on-one help
• 2:00-2:15 Pick up

Daily programming, enrichment time, and class periods include Appalachian dance opportunities, singing, rhythm practice, immersive Appalachian music and dance history, visiting musicians, peer to peer jamming and instruction, and outdoor play on the beautiful grounds of the Floyd EcoVillage. The week wraps up with a final performance for parents on Friday at 1:30pm and free admittance and an optional group performance at the Floyd Country Store’s famous Friday Night Jamboree at 7:30pm.

Snack Break

Snacks are provided by the HMS but you are more than welcome to have your student pack a snack, especially if they have allergies.

We recommend students bring their own water bottle but we do have water available at the EcoVillage.

Drop-Off & Pick-Up Policy

Drop-off and pick-up will take place in front of the EcoVillage. Please park in the parking lot in front of the EcoVillage Event Center. Parents/guardians are asked to walk your student(s) into the main lobby of the Event Center. (Please do not send your student in without the accompaniment of an adult chaperone.) A Handmade Music School staff person will check your student(s) in for the day.

Pick-up: Parents/guardians are asked to come inside to the Event Center to pick up their child between 2pm and 2:15pm. Please do not arrive later than 2:15pm. If there is an unexpected reason to be late, please call (540) 251-2571 and let a HMS staff person know.

All students must be signed out by a parent/guardian. If someone is there to pick up your student(s) and they are not listed on the “allowed pick-up” section of your registration form, we will call the main parent/guardian contact we are given for approval. Your child will not be allowed to leave before we can get a signature, we require this signature as a safety precaution for our students.

Contact With Student

If you need to contact your student at any time throughout the day, or drop something off to them, please call 540-251-2571 to alert a HMS staff person.

*Please make sure that all individuals that have permission to pick your child up are listed under “allowed pick-up” on your registration form. We will not allow your child to leave until we have parent/guardian approval. If there is anyone who is not allowed to pick up your student, please list this in the “NOT allowed to pick up” area on the registration form AND notify us so we have that information ahead of time.

HMS Behavior Policy. If the student was to interrupt the program due to bad behavior (screaming, name calling, not following instructions, not respecting the space, etc.) the following steps will be taken:

1. A staff member will speak to the parent/guardian about the situation day of occurrence. This will be considered the first verbal warning. A staff member is required to fill out the first behavior report including all appropriate signatures.

Injury or Emergency Procedures

If the student’s parent/guardian cannot be reached and the program staff have followed the emergency procedures below, the parent/guardian agrees to assume all expenses for moving and medically treating this student.

1. In a life threatening emergency ONLY, 911 will be called first.
2. In a non-life threatening emergency, the program coordinator will call home. If there is no answer the parent or guardians employment will be called or the emergency contact given. The director will administer First Aid as needed.
3. If none of the above answers, the program coordinator will call an ambulance if necessary to transport the child to a local medical facility.
4. Based upon the medical judgment of the attending physician, the child may be admitted to a medical facility.
5. The program coordinator will continue to call the parents, guardians or physician until someone is reached. Please make sure you provide correct emergency contact information

Closures and Inclement Weather

More information coming soon.

Handmade Music School has decided to align with the current CDC Covid-19 guidelines. Our guidelines are subject to change at any time.

Face Coverings

All staff members, instructors, and students have the option to wear masks during programming. It is not required.

COVID-19 / Illness General Statement

If your child is sick or has been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, please keep them home from programming.

If you have been exposed to COVID-19, it is essential that you notify us immediately.

If a student notifies an instructor that they are not feeling well, the parent will be notified and the student will be isolated with a staff member until their parent/guardian arrives to pick-up early.

If you have questions about this event please contact dylan@handmademusicschool.com.