Afternoon Workshops

Join Gina Dilg as she explores super groovy fiddlers from Southwest Virginia and North Carolina.

Gina has been steeped in the traditions of the music from the southern Appalachians and the Southwest since she was a young child. Raised in a family of musicians, she developed an affection for the bright, energetic music of these traditions. She is a strong fiddler, and plays with her husband Jason Dilg as a duo, and with the band Joe Thrift & The Yeehaw Ramblers. Gina also loves flatfoot dancing, and can be found giving workshops and dancing with the regulars at The Floyd Country Store.

Join Mac and his daughter Hanna as they demonstrate Blue Ridge banjo / fiddle duets – tunes and techniques for lively sound. Mac (fiddle) and his daughter Hanna (banjo) will demonstrate and discuss how they approach playing several dance tunes associated with our part of the Blue Ridge. Participants will be coached on how to use non-melodic aspects such as rhythmic brushes and slur/shuffles as well as low drones to create a full driving sound that enhances the melody.

Join Joseph Decosimo as he explores “funky, old time recordings” and demonstrates how to develop “old-time taste” from these classic recordings.

Joseph Decosimo is a leading interpreter of the fiddle, banjo, and song traditions from the Appalachian South, Joseph Decosimo has introduced audiences to the beauty and vitality of the region’s music—from Tennessee’s homey Mountain Opry to the National Endowment for the Humanities Heritage Award ceremony to venues and festival and workshop stages around the US, Canada, UK, Spain, and Australia. Having studied under and performed alongside some of the last master traditional musicians in his home region of Tennessee’s Cumberland Plateau—a western finger of the Appalachian region, Joseph draws on a well of profound creativity and repertoire even as he carves fresh paths.

This class will be a group sing-along through some of our favorite repertoire from the “First Family of Country Music” – the Carter Family of Southwest Virginia. It can be a powerful feeling to sing through these old classics in a group of folks singing in harmony. The more the merrier!

Nadine Landry’s roots lie in the rural backroads of Acadian Québec, and her high lonesome vocals have delighted audiences the world over. Her earth-shaking bass playing is the rumbling backbone of the Foghorn sound. Nadine Landry was born and raised in a musical family on the Gaspe Peninsula on the east coast of Quebec. Equally comfortable on guitar and upright bass, she has leant her talents to various bands ranging from old time to honky tonk to swing and Cajun. Described as deeply passionate and powerful, her voice has been capturing the hearts of fans across North America, Ireland, England, Scandinavia and Australia.

Born in Minnesota, Sammy Lind has established himself as one of the most critically acclaimed old time musicians in the world. He spent many years in Portland, OR, where he co-founded the Foghorn Stringband in the year 2000 with some pals who shared a similar passion for traditional music. Sammy has traveled the world playing and teaching a vast repertoire of tunes from Appalachia and the Midwest. His playing reflects tremendous respect and passion for all the fiddle players and old recordings he spent countless hours learning from and a power that only comes from years of playing for dances. After a few years up in Whitehorse, Yukon, Sammy has settled in eastern Quebec, in the village of Pointe-à-la-Croix, with his wife/bandmate, Nadine Landry.

Join me to explore the nuances of old time rhythm guitar playing! While the basic concepts of this rhythm style are simple, timing and tone are what makes a rhythm player stand out from the crowd and truly drive the music. While these take time and practice to master, they are exactly what makes rhythm guitar playing really satisfying and fun! There is a lot of magic in creating the “feel”, choosing where to place the back beat while keeping the  tempo consistent. I can help you with ideas for backing up fiddle tunes & songs as we practice listening and playing with dynamics, bass runs and fills, and hearing chord changes.

Reeb Willms has been singing and playing old time rhythm guitar for many years. She comes from the humble beginnings of farm life in Waterville, Washington and a family of wheat farmers where she grew up listening to her father and uncles, the Willms Brothers, singing country songs. Reeb is a respected and well-loved singer and guitar player and has been touring internationally with the Foghorn Stringband and the Caleb Klauder Country Band since 2011. She can also be found touring as a duo with Caleb Klauder. Her love for old time fiddle tunes and old country songs roots her in a classic American musical style.

Joseph Decosimo will teach Luther Davis’ Shady Grove. Luther Davis was a fiddler from Grayson County, Virginia, just west of Galax.

A leading interpreter of the fiddle, banjo, and song traditions from the Appalachian South, Joseph Decosimo has introduced audiences to the beauty and vitality of the region’s music—from Tennessee’s homey Mountain Opry to the National Endowment for the Humanities Heritage Award ceremony to venues and festival and workshop stages around the US, Canada, UK, Spain, and Australia. Having studied under and performed alongside some of the last master traditional musicians in his home region of Tennessee’s Cumberland Plateau—a western finger of the Appalachian region, Joseph draws on a well of profound creativity and repertoire even as he carves fresh paths.

Enoch Rutherford style banjo workshop with Eddie Bond. Eddie Bond is also a fantastic banjo player (as well as guitar and autoharp!). Eddie will grab his banjo and highlight the amazing banjo playing of Enoch Rutherford from Grayson County, Virginia. Enoch Rutherford (1916-2004) comes from a long line of old time pickers, Enoch was well known for his hard driving banjo style and also his old time fiddling; he inspired many banjo pickers and fiddlers to come. Enoch was also a true character and friend to many in the Blue Ridge and beyond.

Since 2001, Bond has been the lead singer and fiddler for the New Ballards Branch Bogtrotters, among the most respected of Virginia’s old-time string bands. The Bogtrotters are staples at Galax-area community dances and gatherings and frequent first-place winners at the Old Fiddlers’ Convention, where Bond himself has won countless fiddle contests and twice been named Best All Around Performer—arguably the highest honor in old-time music.

Hannah Johnson will lead a workshop demonstrating the strikingly beautiful piano and pump organ accompaniment of old time fiddle tunes.

Hannah hails from the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. She got interested in old time music as a teenager attending fiddlers’ conventions in the region, and promptly took up the fiddle, banjo, and guitar, learning from local old timers and musicians near and far. Though she still lives in her same old home town and remains dedicated to her local traditions, Hannah has traveled the world playing in old time bands, swapping tunes, dances, and songs along the way.

Join staff musicians Gina Dilg and Sophie Moeckel while they demonstrate the basics of flatfoot dancing and the relationship between dancers and the music in Southwest Virginia.

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 its 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.

Gina Dilg has been steeped in the traditions of the music from the southern Appalachians and the Southwest since she was a young child. Raised in a family of musicians, she developed an affection for the bright, energetic music of these traditions. She is a strong fiddler, and plays with her husband Jason Dilg as a duo, and with the band Joe Thrift & The Yeehaw Ramblers. Gina also loves flatfoot dancing, and can be found giving workshops and dancing with the regulars at The Floyd Country Store.

Join this singing workshop with Vivian Leva, where she will demonstrate how to explore pitch, phrasing, tone, and ornamentation to get the most out of a song.

Vivian Leva began penning songs and performing with her father at venues at 9 years old. Traditional American music was an early influence on her songwriting. Raised by parents who absorbed ancient tunes and ballads during visits to legendary old-time musicians, Leva grew up steeped in the Appalachian and country music of her Lexington, VA home.

Join staff musician, Corbin Hayslett as he demonstrates some amazing fingerstyle banjo techniques that he has discovered on classic 78 RPM recordings.

Traditional music has been the mainstay of my from my earliest memories. My Dad taught me to love and sing like The Stanley Brothers while I was in a car seat and my mom sat me on the front-row pew during choir rehearsals. The music of Virginia’s mountains has been passed down in my family for nine generations. I’ve had the honor of playing mountain music in three hemispheres and on stages ranging from the Floyd Country Store to the Grand Ole Opry at the Ryman Auditorium. It is my honor to share my love of our music through the Handmade Music School. Lessons offered in banjo (clawhammer, old-time finger styles, bluegrass), old-time fiddle, guitar (lead and rhythm), mandolin, voice, hambone, jaw harp, general shenanigans and tomfoolery.

Singing in harmony with others can be a joyful experience. When we sing in harmony with others, we are forming a chord with our voices. An important aspect to singing with others is learning to meld our voice with another’s by listening, adjusting our volume, tone, and pitch to create the sound we want. In this workshop, we’ll outline the foundations of harmony singing, breaking it down into a few simple ideas that can be put into practice right away! We’ll practice by finding a tonic or root note, singing a scale, then creating a chord, and finding an octave. We will learn a song in class and use these basic concepts to outline the melody firmly in our minds, and then branch out to sing harmony parts. We’ll break into duets and trios to practice our listening and singing skills. Bring a pen and paper to jot down lyrics (this helps us memorize quickly), and a recording device if you like.

Raised on Orcas Island, Washington, and now living in Portland, Oregon, Caleb Klauder is a true north-westerner, yet his maternal family roots lay in East Tennessee. These deep family roots contribute to Caleb’s music, tapping into old memories to bring you the strong singing and spirited attitude that give his music an edge that is both cutting and sweet. He is a songwriter, a multi-instrumentalist, a band leader, and a father. Caleb tours internationally with both the Foghorn Stringband, and his own band, The Caleb Klauder Country Band, in which he performs his original songs. You can also find Caleb collaborating with Reeb Willms as a duo, or with good friends Joel Savoy and Jesse Lége in the Cajun Country Revival. Caleb teaches mandolin and singing, and has participated in many camps such as Voice Works, Fiddle Tunes, Augusta Heritage Camp, Ashokan, and Nimble Fingers.

Reeb Willms was born and raised in the wheat farming town of Waterville, on the high desert plateau of Central Washington. Her earliest music exposure was to her dad and uncles singing old country songs. Reeb played piano growing up, and in her early twenties, started to sing and learn to play guitar. Her love of music began to unfold when she lived in Bellingham, WA where she formed bands with musician friends she met there. These were formative years and led her to a professional career in music. She currently lives in Portland, Oregon and can be found touring internationally with the Foghorn Stringband, the Caleb Klauder Country Band, and occasionally as a duo with Caleb Klauder. Reeb also enjoys teaching guitar and singing. She has recorded with the Foghorn Stringband, the Caleb Klauder Country Band, and also with Caleb Klauder as a duo.

Join staff musicians Gina Dilg and Sophie Moeckel while they demonstrate the more advanced aspects of flatfoot dancing and how to take your dancing to the next level.

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 its 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.

Gina Dilg has been steeped in the traditions of the music from the southern Appalachians and the Southwest since she was a young child. Raised in a family of musicians, she developed an affection for the bright, energetic music of these traditions. She is a strong fiddler, and plays with her husband Jason Dilg as a duo, and with the band Joe Thrift & The Yeehaw Ramblers. Gina also loves flatfoot dancing, and can be found giving workshops and dancing with the regulars at The Floyd Country Store.

Join Joe ‘Bass’ DeJarnette for a workshop on how to build more intricate and advanced guitar runs to fit in with the rest of the band.

Originally from Madison, Virginia, Joebass discovered old-time music through 78 rpm records which he began collecting at age 6. Eventually he traveled to Brooklyn, NY, and spent a decade playing music full-time throughout the US and internationally, concluding with over two dozen shows on the 2009 Bob Dylan/Willie Nelson tour. He now lives back in Virginia where he runs Studio 808A, a “band and breakfast” recording studio that specializes in traditional music. He has taught in the JAM program (Junior Appalachian Musicians), Music Lab Floyd, The Carnegie Hall Neighborhood concert series as well as festival workshops around the world. He runs sound at the Swannanoa Gathering, CROMA and Rockbridge old-time music weeks and in 2015 he was selected to become coordinator of the Old-Time Music Week at the Augusta Heritage Center. At Studio 808A, DeJarnette has worked with many master Appalachian musicians in the studio such as Alice Gerrard, Bruce Greene, Eddie Bond, and Gerry Milnes, up and coming young traditional musicians such as Anna and Elizabeth, as well as more mainstream acts such as Lake Street Dive, Sxip Shirey, Curtis Eller and Rhiannon Giddens.

There is an amazing and powerful old time fiddle repertoire from outside southern Appalachia and in this workshop I’ll be playing tunes from southern Illinois collected by Garry Harrison and friends from fiddlers such as Pappy Taylor, Odie Griffith, Noah Beavers, Charlie Faulk as well as some tunes from Missouri from Bob Walters and Dwight Lamb.

Sammy Lind has established himself as one of the most critically acclaimed old time fiddle players in the country. Co-founder of the Oregon based Foghorn Stringband, Sammy has traveled the world playing and teaching a vast repertoire of tunes from Appalachia and the Midwest. His playing reflects tremendous respect and passion for all the fiddle players and old recordings he has spent countless hours learning from.

Join Eddie Bond while he demonstrates Clark Kessinger’s Triple Bow Hop.

Since 2001, Bond has been the lead singer and fiddler for the New Ballards Branch Bogtrotters, among the most respected of Virginia’s old-time string bands. The Bogtrotters are staples at Galax-area community dances and gatherings and frequent first-place winners at the Old Fiddlers’ Convention, where Bond himself has won countless fiddle contests and twice been named Best All Around Performer—arguably the highest honor in old-time music. Bond has performed across the country and overseas, including the “Music From the Crooked Road” tours produced by the National Council for the Traditional Arts. He regularly performs at festivals from Australia to Ireland, where he trades familiar tunes with local masters.

Hannah Johnson will demonstrate and teach some basic square dance calls to get participants ready to call their next dance.

Hannah hails from the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. She got interested in old time music as a teenager attending fiddlers’ conventions in the region, and promptly took up the fiddle, banjo, and guitar, learning from local old timers and musicians near and far. Though she still lives in her same old home town and remains dedicated to her local traditions, Hannah has traveled the world playing in old time bands, swapping tunes, dances, and songs along the way.

Come join me for an afternoon of listening and playing in a band context. I will wrangle some pals to help demonstrate and we will let you sit in one by one to feel the groove yourself and to feel the role you can play in changing that groove, for better or for worse. Fun and hands on.

Caleb Klauder is known to the mandolin community for developing a unique style to follow the old time fiddle. He will teach fiddle tune melodies and how to get tight with the fiddle, focusing on the rhythm of the fiddle bowing. Mandolin double stops, tremolo, and chord variations will also be demonstrated as methods to backing up old time tunes. He will also spend time talking about and demonstrating old time bluegrass solo styles in the manner of Bill Monroe, Ira Louvin and Joe Val focusing on the lyrical and melodic direction. Caleb is a founding member of Foghorn Stringband, which has defined a hard-driving Pacific Northwest ensemble style, anchored in the mantras of old-time but unafraid to bend the rules. Klauder, who plays fiddle and guitar in addition to mandolin, has a unique eight-string style that is thoughtful and robust, and, tellingly, built heavily on fiddle and banjo styles as much as on classic mandolin technique.

Join Vivian Leva as she discusses and demonstrates ways to jump in on guitar and find your way through tunes you might not know and picking up chords on the fly.

Raised by parents who absorbed ancient tunes and ballads during visits to legendary old-time musicians, Leva grew up steeped in the Appalachian and country music of her Lexington, VA home. Though just out of college, Leva’s musical roots run deep. She grew up going to fiddle festivals with her parents, both acclaimed roots musicians themselves who perform as the duo Jones and Leva. Her father, James, is a respected multi-instrumentalist who learned knee-to-knee from old-time legends like Tommy Jarrell and Doug Wallin, while her mother, Carol Elizabeth, picked up bygone songs from a now lost generation of singers and recorded with the pioneering bluegrass duo Hazel Dickens and Alice Gerrard. Leva soaked up this influence at a young age, and, at age 9, began penning songs and performing with her father at venues like the prestigious Carter Family Fold.

Traditional American music was an early influence on her songwriting. Her time at music festivals (she’s never missed a Clifftop) regularly landed her in jams with peers and heroes alike. “The biggest part of traditional music has always been the community,” she says. “It’s really special that you can travel almost anywhere and share tunes with a group of people that you’ve never met.” In this spirit, she joined The Onlies, a young stringband that won the coveted traditional band competition at the 2017 Clifftop festival in West Virginia. Add to this performance resumé teaching stints at The Swannanoa Gathering, Nimble Fingers, The Festival of American Fiddle Tunes, The Big Sur Fiddle Camp, and Centrum’s “Voice Works” and her roots music bonafides are obvious.

Mac Traynham and Andy Buckman are keeping our local music and dance traditions alive by working with youth interested in learning to play.
Mac and Andy will be joined by several young students that they are currently working with through the Handmade Music School and Junior Appalachian Musicians programs.

Several local dance tunes will be demonstrated by various combinations of siblings and peers who love dancing and playing old-time music. Participants may tune up and join in if they can keep up.