2023.07.05

The camp is coming up in a few days! So this may be the last post before the camp.

We have 26 confirmed attendees from Edmonton, Calgary, Red Deer and Canmore. This is pretty good attendance and we’ll be able to split into several jams according to level and interest. There are quite a few guitar players, several violins and a viola, one accordion and one upright bass. It would be great to have one or two more bass players so please ask around and try to convince someone to come. Maybe they can be bribed with beer, food, etc.

As you know we’ve got two great instructors: Phill West on guitar, Cam Neufeld on violin.

Since we have a number of players that are relatively new to the genre or guitar, we have added another guitar instructor, Rick Moore, who is very experienced teaching this music. He is also teaching at FAMI camp later this summer so ask him about that.

Directions have been sent to all the participants. I will be setting up some signs at key intersections to help navigate.

Proposed Schedule

This is a fairly informal camp so the schedule might change a bit, but here’s the plan.

Friday

3-4 PM ish.  Arrive on site and set up. Pre-jam jamming. 

I will be at the site by noon or so. If you want to come a bit earlier that’s okay too. I’ll be setting up so I might not have much time to chat until later.

Supper

7 PM.  Introductions.  We have a lot of new people this time so we should get familiar with each other. We are planning to have a short ice-breaker event to help with that.  

8 PM.  Beginner workshop: introduction to jamming etiquette, charts, swing forms, a few simple guitar chords.  This will help you get going for jamming tonight. 

8 PM until late. If not at the workshop, commence jamming! 

Saturday

10 AM.   Group workshops. About one hour long.  

Beginner Guitar – Rick/Kevin

Intermediate Guitar – Phill

Strings (violin, viola) – Cam

11 AM. Jamming – 3 locations. 

1200 PM.  Lunch

After lunch.

Work on what you learned at the workshop!  There may be some material review at the afternoon workshops to reinforce what was learned in the morning workshops. 

Jamming – 3 locations. 

330 PM.   Group workshops. About one hour long.  

Beginner Guitar – Rick/Kevin.  We plan to review the morning material so be ready!  Maybe there’ll be a test! And we’ll add a few more things. 

Intermediate Guitar – Phill

Strings (violin, viola) – Cam

430 PM. Ish. Jamming. 

600 PM.  Supper.  We’re planning to order from a restaurant nearby to feed the instructors and organizers. You can chip in if you want to order from the same place and we can pick it all up. Refuel for more jamming. 

After supper: jamming until the wee hours.  

Sunday

Jamming all day. Possibly some informal workshops if anyone is interested.

I have to leave by about 4 or 5 PM to get somewhere.  Please check with Brenda if it’s okay to stay later, but I’ll have to pack up.

See you! Kevin.