Fall Newsletter - Nov. 2009 - Coming Next Summer...
(This is the text from our newsletter. To receive a hardcopy of our newsletter and catalog in the mail, complete with a registration form, pictures and other neat stuff, Contact Us to get on our mailing list)

Traditional Song Week, July 4-10
Fiddle Week, July 4-10
Celtic Week, July 11-17
Old-Time Music & Dance Week, July 18-24
Contemporary Folk Week, July 25-31
Guitar Week, July 25-31
Dulcimer Week, August 1-7

Each year, we continue to try to fine-tune the way we do things in response to the needs of a constantly expanding program. New for 2010:

• Bryson Gym is back online and looks beautiful. We look forward to using it again as one of our principal activity areas next summer.
• For those families bringing small children, we will continue to provide evening childcare at no additional cost.
•We will again offer a full Children’s Program, coordinated by Denisa Rullmoss next summer, during our Traditional Song/Fiddle, Celtic and Old-Time Weeks.

The Swannanoa Gathering is structured around what we call an ‘open format’, which allows students to create their own curriculum and take as many classes as there are periods in the day. We require that students register for specific classes, but allow them to switch after the first day into another, open class if they find they have made an inappropriate choice. After this ‘settling-in’ period, we expect that students will remain in those classes, and we discourage dropping in and out of classes during the week. This structure allows students considerable flexibility, and is an essential element of the program’s character and appeal. Many of our classes may include musical notation or tablature, though in general, we emphasize learning by ear.

In general, classes have a maximum of 15 students. Some may have more or less than this figure due to the nature of the subject or the discretion of the instructor, and limits for each class will be indicated in our catalog. Several of the 2009 workshops filled up early last year and we expect that trend to continue as more of our programs approach their limits, and although our schedule of classes is not currently complete, pre-registrations from this newsletter are encouraged. Folks may register with a tuition deposit of $100 and may reserve housing without a deposit. The deadline for pre-registration is Feb. 15. Pre-registrants will be sent a class schedule as soon as it is ready and given priority in class assignments. Full payment is required by June 4 to guarantee a space. After that date, class reservations will be unconfirmed until we receive the balance. If we are holding a space for a student in a class that is full, and their balance is unpaid after June 4, we may release that space to another student.

At present, we are completing our staff selections for next year, but many of our instructors have already confirmed. The online version of this newsletter will be continually updated with the most current staff roster. Here’s a peek at the 2010 lineup....

Our vocal program, Traditional Song Week, July 4-10, continues to grow and promote a wide variety of traditional singing styles, including Appalachian, Irish & Scottish ballads, gospel, shape-note, harmony duets, Carter Family, honky-tonk, sea songs and more. New this year will be songs from Nova Scotia & French Canada with Claudine Langille, and dances for traditional music with Brian Demarcus. Also confirmed are coordinator Julee Glaub and her music partner Mark Weems of Little Windows, old-time country music legend Charlie Louvin, Irish singer Dáithí Sproule, Appalachian ballad-singer Sheila Kay Adams, shape-note leader Tim Eriksen, blues singer Gaye Adegbalola, gospel instructor Roddy Barnes, Brian Peters, Peter Siegel, and Sing Out! Radio founder Matt Watroba.

For next year’s Fiddle Week, July 4-10, coordinator Julia Weatherford has added classes exploring a number of Canadian fiddle styles with April Verch, including Ottawa Valley, old-time Canadian, western Canadian and Metis, as well as contradance and gypsy music with Eden MacAdam-Somer, and swing, Irish, Scottish, blues, Swedish, old-time & bluegrass. The week will also offer classes in guitar accompaniment, mandolin and more. The staff currently includes Matt Glaser (swing), Casey Driessen (bluegrass), Joe Craven (improv.), Judy Hyman (old-time), Liz Knowles (Irish), Suzy Thompson (blues) Andrea Hoag (Swedish), Jamie Laval (technique), Adam Tanner (beginners), Sam Bartlett (mandolin), Larry Unger & Roger Bellow (guitar) Ben Sollee (cello) and Cody Walters (bass).

Celtic Week, July 11-17, our biggest program, is lining up another great staff that already includes the great Irish fiddlers Martin Hayes, Kevin Burke, Manus McGuire and Brian Conway, guitarist Donogh Hennessy, Scottish fiddler Jamie Laval, Lúnasa flute player Kevin Crawford, Scots Gaelic singer Talitha MacKenzie, legendary piper Paddy Keenan, Celtic Week Host & flute player John Skelton, concertina player Gráinne Hambly, guitarist Eamon O’Leary, Irish singers Cathie Ryan and Robbie O’Connell, accordionist Martin Quinn, Scottish singer and folklorist Ed Miller, whistle player Kathleen Conneely, Scottish fiddlers Laura Risk and Jane MacMorran, harper Billy Jackson, dancer Danny Tighe, string wizard Robin Bullock and percussionist Matthew Olwell.

For the latest edition of Old-Time Music & Dance Week, July 18-24, coordinator Phil Jamison welcomes back several old friends to the staff, including Alice Gerrard, Bobby McMillon, Mac & Jenny Traynham, Rafe Stefanini, James Leva and Erynn Marshall. They join veterans Carol Elizabeth Jones, Bruce Greene, Shay Garriock, Gordy Hinners, Paul Kovac, Dave Leddel, Ron Pen, John Herrmann, Meredith McIntosh, John Hollandsworth, Jesse Wells, Don Pedi and Rodney Sutton, with more to be added. We will continue our tradition of visits by special Guest Master Artists from the senior generation of local traditional performers throughout the week. Classes will include fiddle, clawhammer banjo, guitar, mandolin, bass, clogging, square dance, dance calling, southern harmony singing, string band, shaped-note singing and more.

Contemporary Folk Week, July 25-31, offers a week in artist development for all acoustic performers. Classes will include songwriting, performance, vocal coaching and more taught by an incredible lineup of performers passionate about their art and equally passionate about inspiring others to develop their own unique gifts. New coordinator David Roth heads up a simply phenomenal staff that so far includes Christine Lavin, Catie Curtis, Vance Gilbert, Peter Mulvey, Sara Hickman, Jack Williams, Siobhan Quinn, Jon Vezner, Red Molly's Abbie Gardner and guitar theory guru Ray Chesna, with more to be added.

Guitar Week, July 25-31, offers classes in fingerstyle and flatpicking in a wide variety of styles, accompaniment and beginning guitar, as well as instruction in banjo, dobro and more. Coordinator Al Petteway welcomes back the great fingerstylists Tony McManus and Steve Baughman, who join Doug Smith, Adam Rafferty, swing/blues guitarists Del Rey, Steve James and Scott Ainslie, Celtic heavyweight Robin Bullock, Harvey Reid, Pat Donohue, Vicki Genfan, Hawaiian slack key stylist Patrick Landeza bluegrass guitarist Ed Dodson and Grammy-winning dobroist Sally Van Meter. Guitar tech Randy Hughes will offer maintenance tips, and this year’s Luthier’s Exhibit will once again feature the guitars of master luthiers Gerald Sheppard (www.sheppardguitars.com), Michael Bashkin (www.bashkinguitars.com), John Slobod (www.circaguitars.com) and Bill Tippin (www.tippinguitars.com) as well as amazing instruments from the inventory of Dream Guitars (www.dreamguitars.com) located in nearby Weaverville, NC.

For Dulcimer Week, August 1-7, Coordinator Lois Hornbostel has developed an intimate, skills-based program featuring small classes and individual attention that covers both types of dulcimer. The 2010 staff includes mountain dulcimer instructors Rob Brereton, Thomasina, Bing Futch and Bonnie Leigh, and hammered dulcimer instructors Walt Michael, Dan Landrum, Jem Moore, and Ken Kolodner. The week will once again include visits from guest artists including Doug & Darcy Orr and that master of unusual instruments, Ken Bloom.