Resources: Workshops/Camps/Schools: Workshops: Maidencreek Old Time Music Festival
UPDATED FOR 2013
WHAT IS THE MAIDENCREEK OLD TIME MUSIC FESTIVAL? (return to top of page)
A tremendously wonderful opportunity for learning and performing old time string band music in a beautiful old fashioned picnic grove.
WHEN IS THE FESTIVAL? (return to top of page)
The Maidencreek Old Time Music Festival is an annual, one-day event that is now always the 3rd Sunday of July from 10 am to 9 pm.
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2011 | July 31 |
| 2012 | July 29 |
| 2013 and every year after | the third Sunday of July. In 2012, that's July 14 |
WHERE IS THE FESTIVAL? (return to top of page)
The entire event happens at Maiers Grove on Grove Road in Blandon PA 19510
GPS coordinates: 40.438961, -75.87656.
HOW MUCH DOES ADMISSION COST? (return to top of page)
Admission cost depends on what parts of the festival you want to attend and whether you purchase your tickets in advance or at the gate.
| What you Want to Attend | Advance Admission Cost | Daytime Workshops, Mini-concerts & Open Stage | $25 |
|---|---|
| Just the Evening Concert | $10 |
| Daytime Workshops, Mini-concerts, Open Stage & Evening Concert | $30 |
| Daytime Mini-concerts, Open Stage & Field Jamming (no workshops or evening concert) | $2/car facilities support fee |
| Master Class with Special Guest Artist | $30, PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED |
| Children age 12 and under | Admission is FREE |
| What you Want to Attend | At-gate Admission Cost | Daytime Workshops, Mini-concerts & Open Stage | $30 |
|---|---|
| Just the Evening Concert | $10 |
| Daytime Workshops, Mini-concerts, Open Stage & Evening Concert | $35 |
| Daytime Mini-concerts, Open Stage & Field Jamming (no workshops or evening concert) | $2/car facilities support fee |
| Master Class with Special Guest Artist | Not available at gate, PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED |
| Children age 12 and under | Admission is FREE |
WHERE & WHEN ARE ADVANCE TICKETS AVAILABLE? (return to top of page)
If you want to pay in cash or with a check, you can get advance tickets at Meadowood Music, 8521 Allentown Pike, Blandon, PA 19510, 610-916-1285
You can also mail checks directly to our affiliate, Listen Live at PO Box 50
Old Zionsville, PA 18068.
If you want to pay with a credit card, you can get advance tickets for the festival online courtesy of our affiliate, Listen Live Music, with the PayPal links that will be available below
WHAT WORKSHOPS ARE OFFERED AT THE FESTIVAL? (return to top of page)
The tables below present generic information about workshops that are usually offered at the festival. You can get an advance copy of this year's festival program at https://files.me.com/paulaataylor/8tmgw0. The schedule of courses, teacher list and map of the festival grounds are in the festival program. To assemble a program from the printout of this file, print page 2 on the back of page 1, print page 4 on the back of page 3 and print page 6 on the back of page 6. Stack the pages in order and fold in half with page 6 as the center page.
| Fiddle Workshops | Workshop Content | Fiddle From Scratch | You have never really played a fiddle; you’re not sure how it’s tuned, you can’t play a tune on it (but you would sure like to). You will need a fiddle, bow & rosin. A recording device is welcome and encouraged. |
|---|---|
| Beginning Fiddle | You already can play some melodies on fiddle, play in tune most of the time and sound sort of musical at least some of the time. You will need a fiddle, bow & rosin. A recording device is welcome and encouraged. |
| Intermediate Fiddle | You have good melody skills on fiddle, maybe know some ‘chords’ and are seeking additional tunes & techniques. You will need a fiddle, bow & rosin. A recording device is welcome and encouraged. |
| Advanced Fiddle Repertoire | You are a strong fiddler, can learn tunes by ear, are able to improvise accompaniments and fills, and are seeking additional tunes & techniques. You will need a fiddle, bow & rosin. A recording device is essential. |
| 2012 Master Class with Ken Kolodner - Bow patterns and left hand technique in old-time fiddling. | The key to playing old time fiddle is developing a rhythmic bowing style. This workshop will focus on several bowing approaches (e.g. the various uses of Nashville and Georgia shuffles, 3-1 bowing, bow rocks, string-crossing, ghost bows, mid-bow pulses). To dress up your playing, left hand ornamentation (e.g. slides, triplets, grace notes, drones, chords etc.) will be addressed. Hopefully we will work in an altered tuning (e.g. ADAD, AEAE; DDAD). While geared to an intermediate and above level, all levels of player are welcome. You will need a fiddle, bow & rosin. A recording device is essential. |
| Possible future workshop: Overcoming Frustrating Obstacles on Fiddle | You can play some tunes, but wish you could play faster, cleaner or more musically. You wish you could play double stops better. You would like to get rid of scratchiness. Simple things can help a player overcome these very frustrating obstacles. A recording device is essential. |
| Banjo Workshops | Workshop Content | Beginning Banjo | You may not play banjo at all or can play some melodies on banjo, change between chords and sound sort of musical at least some of the time. You will need a five-string banjo (preferably open-backed) and a capo. A recording device is welcome and encouraged. |
|---|---|
| Intermediate Banjo | You have good melody skills on banjo, can change chords easily, are acquainted with retuning the banjo to play in different keys and are seeking additional tunes & techniques. You will need a a five-string banjo (preferably open-backed) and a capo. A recording device is welcome and encouraged. |
| Advancing Banjo | You are a strong banjo player, can learn tunes by ear, are able to improvise accompaniments and fills, and are seeking additional tunes & techniques. You will need a a five-string banjo (preferably open-backed) and a capo. A recording device is welcome and encouraged. |
| Singing with the Banjo | You are seeking additional tunes & techniques for accompanying yourself singing or other singers. You will need a five-string banjo (preferably open-backed) and a capo. A recording device is welcome and encouraged. |
| Autoharp Workshops | Workshop Content | Beginning and Intermediate Autoharp | This session is open to beginning and intermediate players. The instructor will introduce beginners to rudiments and intermediate players to refinements on the same theme. You will need and autoharp and picks. A recording device is welcome and encouraged. |
|---|
| Guitar Workshops | Workshop Content | Beginning Guitar | You know some chords on guitar and can change between them reasonably quickly; you may know a few tunes. You would like to learn how to play by ear, which chords are likely to be in a tune and how to play basic rhythm guitar for Old Time Music. You will need an acoustic guitar, a capo and a firm pick. A recording device is welcome and encouraged. |
|---|---|
| Intermediate Guitar | You play the chords to at least several tunes and can learn tunes by ear or by watching others’ hands reasonably well, but are unsure how to ornament Old Time tunes. You will need an acoustic guitar, a capo and a firm pick. A recording device is welcome and encouraged. |
| Advancing Guitar | You have a significant repertoire of tunes, can learn tunes with some speed and are looking for refinements to your techniques and tools. You will need an acoustic guitar, a capo and a firm pick. A recording device is welcome and encouraged. |
| Mandolin Workshops | Workshop Content | Beginning Mandolin | You know some chords on mandolin and can change between them reasonably quickly; you may know a few tunes. You would like to learn how to play by ear, which chords are likely to be in a tune and how to play mandolin for Old Time Music. You will need a mandolin and a firm pick. A recording device is welcome and encouraged. |
|---|---|
| Advancing Mandolin | You play the chords to at least several tunes and can learn tunes by ear or by watching others’ hands reasonably well, but are unsure how to ornament Old Time tunes. You will need a mandolin and a firm pick. A recording device is welcome and encouraged. |
| Bass Workshops | Workshop Content | Upright Bass from Scratch | You have never held a bass before or have played one, but are not comfortable with the instrument. You do not have a repertoire of tunes, but would like to learn bass for Old Time Music. If you have an upright bass, please bring it. If you do not have an upright bass, you will be able to use the teacher’s instrument. You can bring an acoustic bass guitar, but the workshop materials are formatted for upright bass. A recording device is welcome and encouraged. |
|---|---|
| Intermediate and Advancing Upright Bass (not offered in 2010) | You play at least several tunes on upright bass. You have some skill at learning tunes by ear or by watching others’ hands. You would like to play more interesting bass accompaniments and/or how to play in more keys. You would like to get better at playing in a jam setting. You will need an upright bass (or an acoustic bass guitar, but the workshop materials are formatted for upright bass). A recording device is welcome and encouraged. |
| Dulcimer Workshops | Workshop Content | Beginning Mountain Dulcimer | You may have played mountain dulcimer before or you may never have held one. You might not know any tunes or have a few tunes under your belt. You will need a mountain dulcimer and a pick. A recording device is welcome and encouraged. |
|---|---|
| Advancing Mountain Dulcimer | You play at least several tunes on mountain dulcimer and would like to know more. You have some skill at learning tunes by ear or by watching others’ hands. You would like to play more interesting parts and/or how to play in more keys than you do. You would like to get better at playing in a jam setting. You will need a mountain dulcimer and a pick. A recording device is welcome and encouraged. | Beginning Hammered Dulcimer | You may have played hammered dulcimer before or you may never have touched one. You might not know any tunes or have a few tunes under your belt. You will need a hammered dulcimer and hammers. A recording device is welcome and encouraged. |
| Advancing Hammered Dulcimer | You play at least several tunes on hammered dulcimer and would like to know more. You have some skill at learning tunes by ear or by watching others. You would like to play more interesting parts and/or how to play in more keys than you do. You would like to get better at playing in a jam setting. You will need a hammered dulcimer and hammers. A recording device is welcome and encouraged. | 2012 Master Class with Ken Kolodner - Hammered dulcimer arranging and back-up techniques for old time tunes. | Taking 1-2 old time tunes, we will explore how to vary one’s playing through the use of rhythmic and melodic variations. Time permitting, the workshop will cover concepts such as groove, swing, adding a rhythmic vamp, simple and complex syncopations, anticipations, accent shifts, adding chords, baselines, rag rhythms, chord subs, 4 against 3’s, valley rolls, fills, drones, triplets, ghost notes etc. This workshop will also suggest some simple backup ideas such as a “universal backup” that works for an astounding number of tunes, vamping, several rhythmic “formulas” and rhythmic drones. You will need a hammered dulcimer and hammers. A recording device is essential. |
| Jamming and Performing Workshops | Workshop Content | Mentored Jamming | You play a stringed instrument and would like to be able to jam with others. You want to understand the role of your instrument in Old Time Music. You want to learn the ‘etiquette’ of an Old Time Jam (which instruments are welcome, which tunes are well known, how to start off and end a tune). You need a stringed instrument and an open mind. Recording devices are welcome and encouraged. The mentored jam for 2011 and beyond will be an "Onion Jam" in which the strongest players sit in the center, and each level of player who is nearly as strong occupies the concentric rings of the onion - the newest players on the outside. This arrangement is PURE tradition and allows each level of player to observe and learn from the next most proficient group, eventually allowing players to migrate forward into internal rings. |
|---|---|
| How to make a String Band Work (not offered in 2012) | You play a stringed instrument and want to perform in a group with others. You may already have the group, or you may want to form one. You want to learn how to find places to perform and book gigs. You want to learn how to put together set lists of music that will appeal to an audience. You want to develop stage presence and patter. You want to know how much to charge and how to collect it. You have questions about PA systems, mics and using them. Recording devices are welcome and encouraged. |
| Vocal Workshops | Workshop Content | Old Time Vocal Harmonies (not offered in 2012) | You want to know how to find a harmony line or harmony lines to a melody. You want to understand when to add harmony and when to refrain. You want to understand how harmony is employed in Old Time Music. Recording devices are welcome and encouraged. | Southern Coal Tunes | Old time tunes about Appalachian Coal mining and the life it created. Recording devices are welcome and encouraged. |
|---|---|
| Singing with the Banjo | You play banjo and are seeking additional tunes & techniques for accompanying yourself singing or other singers. You will need a five-string banjo (preferably open-backed) and a capo. A recording device is welcome and encouraged. |
| Dance Workshops | Workshop Content | Flatfooting (not offered in 2012) | You would like to learn the rudiments of Appalachian Flatfoot Dancing. Start with the most basic steps, link them together and dance. Fiddler and dance surface will be provided. |
|---|---|
| Jigging | You would like to learn the rudiments of PA German Jigging. Start with basic steps. Progress to dancing entire tunes. Fiddler and dance surface will be provided. |
WHICH WORKSHOPS FIT MY INTERESTS AND NEEDS? (return to top of page)
To select the workshops that will be the most rewarding to you, compare the "Workshop Contents" in the tables above with your experience and skills.
You will get the most from sessions in which the required skill level matches yours.
That said...It is ABSOLUTELY OK to sit in on a session that is a little below your level to fill gaps in your foundation skills.
(If you do sit in on a lower level session, please respect that the other participants are not as advanced, and that the teacher is focusing on their needs.)
It is also ABSOLUTELY OK to sit in on a session that is above your level to see if there are morsels you can sift out of the lofty advanced material.
(If you do sit in on a session that's a little beyond your level, please respect that the other participants are more advanced and that the teacher is focusing on their needs.)
WHO TEACHES THE WORKSHOPS? (return to top of page)
Everyone who teaches at the festival has experience as a teacher and professional performing musician.
Many of the teachers are degreed music teachers. Many make their entire livelihood from teaching and performing.
All of the teachers like and respect Old Time Music and the aural tradition from which it comes.
You will be able to get an advance copy of this year's festival program online at a link that will be posted here once this year's details are nailed down. The schedule of courses, teacher list and map of the festival grounds are in the festival program. To assemble a program from the printout of this file, print page 2 on the back of page 1, print page 4 on the back of page 3 and print page 6 on the back of page 6. Stack the pages in order and fold in half with page 6 as the center page.
WHO PERFORMS IN THE CONCERTS? (return to top of page)
Each year different workshop teachers will be featured in four mini-concerts performed on the hour at 10:00, 11:00, Noon and 1:00.
Up to 12 acts by festival attendees will perform on an open stage from 3:00 to 4:00. The number of tunes will depend on the number of acts - sign up at the registration table at the entrance gate or vendor pavilion E.
Everyone who teaches at the festival performs in the evening concert at 6:00 - to 8:00.
WHAT DO I NEED TO BRING WITH ME FOR WORKSHOPS? (return to top of page)
Each workshop will require different gear.
Unless the workshop description specifically says that the teacher will share his or her instrument with students, assume that you need to provide your own.
If you would like to take a workshop that addresses an instrument that you do not own, rental instruments are available for the day of the festival.
Pre-registration for instrument rentals is required so that we can have the instrument at the festival for you.
Call Meadowood Music at 610-916-1285 at least a week in advance of the festival to reserve a rental instrument.
MAY I RECORD THE WORKSHOPS? (return to top of page)
YES! Old Time Music is an aural tradition. Please bring a recorder and feel free to use it. Make sure to have fresh batteries.
MAY I RECORD THE CONCERTS? (return to top of page)
YES! While the festival does produce its own recordings of the concerts and post them on YouTube, you are welcome to make your own.
If you do record, however, please be courteous to the other members of the audience. Do not obstruct their view of the stage.
WILL FOOD BE AVAILABLE AT THE FESTIVAL? (return to top of page)
YES!The Blandon Lions Club sells food and beverages all day long during the festival.
The Lions offer traditional festival fare (BBQ and sausage sandwiches and soups).
They also offer meatless options (like veggie lasagna).
Every year, the Lions make homemade ice cream the day before the festival.
The proceeds from their reasonably priced fare support Lions activities.
WHAT IF IT RAINS ON FESTIVAL DAY? (return to top of page)
The only things affected by rain are the daytime mini-concerts and the open stage - those events are the only activities that are not under roof.
Maiers Grove has wonderful pavilions that allow us to do everything else under roof.
We have a pavilion that's large enough to accommodate the performers and audience for the evening concert if Mother Nature gives us a shower.
The festival goes on, rain-or-shine.
WHAT ARE THE PARKING AND RESTROOM FACILITIES LIKE? (return to top of page)
A large open field at the end of the driveway accommodates up to 500 cars.
Indoor restrooms with flush toilets and sinks are on the grounds.