For the first time in 30 years, Pete Wernick (Dr. Banjo) will not be hosting winter banjo camps in Boulder Colorado. Instead, he will offer a new kind of bluegrass camp focusing on ensemble playing and skills.
Due to Hot Rize’s intensive touring schedule in 2015, he will limit his teaching to four annual camps, in Boulder, Colorado; Santa Cruz, California; Merlefest in North Carolina; and on Lake George in New York.
2015 marks a noteworthy anniversary for Pete Wernick and his Bluegrass camp programs, and a significant change in Pete’s teaching.
35 years ago, Pete taught the first-ever banjo camp, and has since taught hundreds more camps in 22 states, Canada and England.
Pete says, “I think the key to getting better on any instrument is to play as much as possible in small groups, with good guidance and practice on your own. At a camp, jamming with a nice balance of instruments works better than an all-banjo group.”
The main difference between Pete’s signature Jam Camps and the new Bluegrass Camps is daily instrument classes by expert staff musicians and an increased focus on harmony singing. Additional sessions cover songwriting, practice methods, “band lab” and more. Everyone is welcome from novice players to performing bands. Three of the four 2015 camps will be Bluegrass Camps, with the California camp his traditional Jam Camp.
THE CAMPS:
| Boulder Bluegrass Camp (Boulder, Colorado), January 4-10 Pete and Joan Wernick will be assisted by outstanding Colorado musician/teachers. Almost full; spots for fiddlers and one bass and one mandolin. All will be placed in groups according to experience/skill level. | California Jam Camp (Santa Cruz, CA), March 4-6 (with optional half-day March 3) An optional Intro to Jamming 1/2-day starts the camp. All instruments and all levels are welcome. The goal of the week is jamming with everyone challenged appropriate to their skill level. The small-scale Brookdale Bluegrass and Ol' Timey Festival immediately follows the camp on a beautiful hilltop location. |
| Merlefest Bluegrass Camp (Boomer, NC), April 20-23 Pete's "flagship" camp, in the rolling hills 10 miles from Wilkesboro. The expert staff will coach small groups at all levels, teach instrument classes and trio harmony singing, with a variety of electives. Campers perform two songs on the Cabin Stage at Merlefest. | Silver Bay Bluegrass Camp, (on Lake George, NY) June 22-26 Pete will lead a staff of 9 Wernick Method teachers for five days in a scenic lakeside setting in New York's Adirondacks. A half-day camp program is available. The hosting Y camp offers a wide range of lake and land activities suitable for campers' families. Registrations made before Dec. 31 receive $25 off tuition, and 80 spots are expected to fill early. |
About Pete Wernick
Pete Wernick is known as the originator of banjo camps, jam camps, author of many best-selling instruction books and videos, and the founder of Hot Rize.
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