Greenwood Furnace Folk Gathering

4:00 - 7:00

Registration in the Visitors Center
Dinner will not be provided, and there are no conveniently located restaurants, so eat before you come or bring a picnic meal with you.

7:00

Staff Concert in the Greenwood Furnace Church
Free and open to the public.

9:00

Jamming in the Blacksmith Shop
Instrumental jam with Simple Gifts; Singing with Clark and Cindy

8:00 - 9:00

Breakfast* (* meals can be purchased with registration)

8:30

Orientation, welcome and announcements during breakfast

9:00 - 10:00

Drum Circle - Rich Blair and Peggy Shutes
A variety of drums will be available, or bring your own.

Music Games - Rachel Bell
In her studies of ethnomusicology and music education, Rachel has learned a wonderful sampling of musical games from many cultures.

Irish Reels - Will Mills
For all instruments, all levels beyond beginner.

Ragtime Tunes - Jon Mosey
For all instruments, all levels beyond beginner.

Pennsylvania Songs - Folkemer Family Band
Beth Folkemer has been studying field recordings of ballads collected by Samuel Bayard in Pennsylvania. She and her family will teach you a few of their favorites.

10:15 - 11:15

Instant Musician - Clark Parry and Cindy Durkee
For the absolute beginner or non-musician, c'mon in and we'll get you going. You'll be strumming along before you know it.

Ear Training - Rachel Hall
Step by step, phrase by phrase, work on playing or singing back what you hear.

Old Time Tunes - Mark Tamsula
For all instruments, beyond beginner.

Song Arranging - Folkemer Family Band
We'll look at how to present a song in an interesting and creative way.

Pennsylvania Heritage Musicians: Remembering Fiddlin' Joe Yesolivich
Three generations of Yesolivich family musicians will reminisce about Fiddlin' Joe, one of western Pennsylvania's most sought-after square dance fiddler for more than 50 years. This will mainly be chatting and hearing Joe's recordings, but a little jamming too. Facilitated by Karen Hirshon, Linda Littleton, and Carl Rahkonen.

11:30 - 12:30

Try a Strum Stick - Clark Parry and Cindy Durkee
This is a fun and easy instrument that can be used in jam sessions, to accompany voices, or all by itself!

Best Known Jam Tunes - Mark Tamsula and Todd Clewell
Learn some of the tunes that are most commonly played at jam sessions. For all instruments, advanced beginner level.

Couples Dances: Waltzes, Polkas, and More - Bob Nicholson
We'll learn some common dances done with a partner. No partner necessary for the workshop as we'll switch after each dance.

Performance Band - Rachel Hall and Rachel Bell
Come join the band! We'll look at issues of arranging and performing music and then use them to create a piece to be performed during the Saturday night concert. For all instruments and singers. All levels are welcome.

Pennsylvania Heritage Musicians: Jamming with Fiddlin' Joe's Legacy
Fiddlin' Joe's wife Helen, daughter Helen Jo, and granddaughter Jill will teach us some of the tunes Joe loved to play. Facilitated by Karen Hirshon and Linda Littleton.

12:30 - 1:30

Lunch*

2:00 - 3:00

Intro to Music Theory - Peggy Shutes
We'll examine chords, scales and other building blocks that will help you to understand how music "works".

Banjo Summit - Jon Mosey, Mark Tamsula, Jerry Trusty
Discussion and demonstration of all things banjo.

Scottish Songs - Folkemer Family Band
We'll learn some easily singable Scottish songs, most with refrains. Sheet music with chords will be provided, but singers will be able to learn by ear as well. We'll even learn a little Scottish dialect!

Contradance Band Practice - Rachel Hall, Karen Hirshon, Rachel Bell and Bob Nicholson
We'll look over the music that will be played at this evening's contradance. Music and chords will be provided. For all instruments; all levels beyond beginner. Note: if you miss this session, it's still ok to play for the dance.

Best Known Irish Tunes - Will Mills
For all instruments, beyond beginner.

3:15 - 4:15

African Polyrhythms - Rich Blair
Experience drumming the complexities of African polyrhythms. It'll turn your head around!

Contradance Basics - Bob Nicholson
Contradancing is easy enough that you'll be fine at the evening dance even if you've never tried before. But you'll have a better time if you come to this workshop and learn the basics.

Old Time Tunes with Words - Jerry Trusty and Todd Clewell
From "Soldier's Joy" to "June Apple," we'll get into some great old-time tunes that have fun verses to sing.

Getting a Band Sound - Jon Mosey
We'll look at how to play with other musicians and get a distinctive and professional sound.

Little Known Facts About Well Known Songs - Paul Fagley
Hear a unique perspective on music and history from Greenwood Furnace State Park's cultural interpreter and historian, Paul Fagley.

4:30 - 5:30

Acoustic Open Stage

5:30 - 6:30

Dinner *

7:00

Concert with Simple Gifts
Free and open to the public.

8:00

Contradance
Bob Nicholson will teach and call dances. No experience necessary and no partner is necessary. If you can walk and count to 8, you can contradance! Live music will be provided by an open band lead by Rachel Hall, Rachel Bell and Karen Hirshon. All musicians are welcome to join the band, even if you did not attend the contradance workshop earlier in the day. Free and open to the public.

10:00

Jamming after the dance
Instrumental jam with Simple Gifts; Singing around the bonfire with Peggy Shutes and Jerry Trusty.

8:00 - 9:00

Breakfast*

9:00 - 10:00

Hymn Singing - Clark Parry, Cindy Durkee, Peggy Shutes
A good old-fashioned hymn sing held at the historic Greenwood Furnace Church. Bring your instrument if you play. Song sheets with chords will be provided. Free and open to the public.

Fiddle Summit - Karen Hirshon, Linda Littleton, Will Mills, Todd Clewell, Mark Tamsula, Helen Jo Yesolivich, Carl Rahkonen
With all seven staff fiddlers in the same room at the same time, it will be fiddle heaven!

Modal Old Time Tunes - Jerry Trusty
A modal tune is one that isn't major and isn't minor. We'll take a look at several. For all instruments, all levels beyond beginner.

10:15 - 11:15

Drum Circle - Rich Blair and Peggy Shutes
A variety of drums and pitched percussion will be available, or bring your own.

Southern African-American Songs - Jerry Trusty
Learn a few of Jerry's favorites!

Scandinavian Tunes - Rachel Bell and Carl Rahkonen
For all instruments; all levels beyond beginner.

Pennsylvania Tunes collected from Sarah Armstrong - Todd Clewell
Todd has been studying the music of Sarah Armstrong, an early 20th century fiddler from southwestern Pennsylvania. Hear about Mrs. Armstrong's life and learn several of her tunes. We will learn by ear by sheet music will be available as well. For all instruments; all levels beyond beginner.

11:30 - 12:30

Carter Family Songs - Clark Parry and Cindy Durkee
Learn some wonderful songs collected by the Carter Family. If you play an instrument, bring it along. Song sheets with chords will be provided.

Playing Backup - Jon Mosey
For all instruments; all levels beyond beginner.

Tunes in C - Mark Tamsula
We'll look at some wonderful tunes in the key of C. For all instruments; all levels beyond beginner.

More Pennsylvania Tunes - Simple Gifts
Learn some wonderful but lesser known tunes collected in Pennsylvania. Sheet music will be provided. For all instruments; all levels beyond beginner.

12:30

Lunch* and Jamming