CAMP OVERVIEW

LOCATION

The Julian Family Fiddle Camp is held at Camp Cedar Glen, an ACA-accredited retreat center and family camp located in Julian, CA.  It offers a variety of accommodations, excellent family-style meals, and is the perfect setting for intimate classes, concerts, dances and jams.  

GENERAL SCHEDULE

The camp commences with registration on Wednesday, April 11th from 3 - 4:30 PM, followed by an orientation and a welcoming dinner.  After dinner we'll have presentations and demonstrations by each of the camp's teachers, with these followed by a good old-fashioned barn dance led by one of the region's preeminant contra dance callers, Martha Wild.

Music instruction on Thursday, Friday and Saturday includes substantive morning and afternoon self-selected group classes, with additional tutorials, master classes, and/or special topic presentations for those interested.  On Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings we'll host major performances by our lead instructors.  Tyler Grant will  be in concert on Thursday evening, Evan Marshall and Scott Gates will be in concert Friday evening, with Calvin Vollrath and Katie Harvey in concert Saturday evening.  All three concerts will be followed by more dancing and jamming.  

Sunday's the last day of the camp.  Classes will convene promptly after breakfast to review material and, at a late-morning gathering, demonstrate what they've learned for all attendees.   There will be a brief closing ceremony, a group picture, and ample time to share information and say our goodbyes.

SPECIAL TOPIC SEMINARS AND/OR TUTORIALS

While music campers will select a primary instructor to study with for the camp's morning and afternoon classes, there will be additional special topic seminars that each student will be free to attend if they wish.  These topics will vary and may include:

• Instrument set-up and maintenance

• Specialized bowing and/or picking techniques

• Jam ettiquette

• Improvisation

• Considerations for oldtime fiddle competitions

• Cool "licks" for fiddle, mandolin and guitar

• Step Dancing

• The "Care & Feeding" of Young Musicians

• Adding simple bass runs to enhance backup guitar

MASTER CLASSES IN FIDDLE, MANDOLIN AND GUITAR

Music camps attract and cater to students of varying  abilities, with the highly advanced players warranting special attention.  In response, the Julian Family  Fiddle Camp will include special times for select students to participate in master classes as taught by the camp's lead teachers.   While time and student ability will restrict the number of the students participating in master classes, all campers are free to attend as audience and, through listening and observing, gain as well from the experience.

In addition to a first-night "campers only" presentation and demonstration by camp instructors on Wednesday, April 11th, the Julian Family Fiddle Camp includes major concerts by its lead instructors the evenings of Thursday, April 12th, Friday, April 13th, and Saturday, April 14th.  Tickets for these concerts will be available for a fee to the general public, but entrance is included for participants in the Julian Family Fiddle Camp.  It is one thing to study with great instrumentalists, and another to see them perform their magic on stage (A word to the wise:  While the main lineup of performers is, on one hand, predictible, one never really knows who may just show up to add to the evening's entertainment).  

We are what we eat, and while campers are free to consume what and how much they want, the Julian Family Fiddle Camp's site, Camp Cedar Glen, is well known for its quality, family-style meals.  The camp's head cook, Steve Smith,  takes great pride in using only the best ingredients in all camp meals, going to great lengths to secure fresh vegetables and quality meats.  Vegetarian meals are always available, with interest and ability to respond upon adequate notice to most dietary concerns (e.g., diabetics, gluten allergies). Starting off with dinner after Wednesday's registration and orientation, the camp will include three hearty meals the following three days, with coffee and snacks available around-the-clock.  A full  breakfast will be served the morning of the camp's last day.