The workshop schedule for the 2007 Albuquerque Folk Festival is coming together. Click here for the one-page, full summary of events.  Below you will find a more readable but not-necessarily-up-to-date list of workshops:

All of these workshops are designed for festival goers participation.  Even if you don't have an instrument to play, workshop presenters and/or other participants can often loan you one or share theirs to give you chance for a little hands on.  Don't be shy! Come join the fun! And if you do have an instrument at home, don't hesitate to bring it along.  We have an instrument check room available from the festival start until 6:00 PM so you don't have to lug that instrument around all day if you don't want to.  (Believe me, this is important.  I've been playing bass and hammered dulcimer, and I know how heavy an instrument can be after a few laps around the festival grounds!)

Planned workshops  that will be spread over 5 separate outdoor tents:

Singing workshops:

Musical Instrument Workshops

Workshop Descriptions:

Put some "Sunshine" in Your Performance
You can play, you can sing, but are you really entertaining? Learn from folk/pop/rocker Jonathan Edwards, who has been entertaining audiences worldwide with his exciting performances since 1971.

Exploring the ukulele with Boulder Acoustic Society (BAS):
If you thought the ukulele was just for Hawaiian music you were wrong!  This is a great instrument for any style and any musician.  Come join BAS for a fun workshop for beginners and experienced strummers.

Beginner's Autoharp.
We will learn the basics of playing the autoharp - chorded zither.  We'll discuss what the left hand does to make chords, and we'll show you some basic strums with the right hand. We'll work on a few easy songs.  I'll also talk about the best ways to tune that "box with 32 - 36 strings". 

Beginning Bluegrass Banjo
Why play the banjo? How to get started. Banjo setup and tools. A song or two.

Folk & Traditional Banjo
Wayne Shrubsall will present the basic down-picking style (also called frailing or clawhammer) and the basic up-picking styles. Up-picking styles include playing melodies and brushing for a rhythm stroke, two-finger styles, and old three-finger style. These styles reflect 19th and 20th-century approaches to the banjo but not Scruggs style or its descendents. Bring your banjo and play along!

Folk Blues
Come sit in and play the blues with Kirk, Cara, Pat and friends. Learn the basic chords structures of blues music and hear some great old country blues tunes.

Bones
Learn how to play this simple but versatile rhythm instrument. Bones will be available at an affordable price, or bring your own.

Mandolin/Guitar Duets.
This workshop is designed to help strengthen duet (melody/rhythm) combinations. The focus will be on mandolin repertoire (Italian, New Mexican, Mexican, Old-Time and Tohono O'odam) tunes with appropriate guitar backup. We hope to give you some ideas on how to enhance your performance and enjoyment as a duo.

Beginning Irish Fiddle w/ Gary Papenhagen
"Entry Level Exposure to Irish Fiddling.  Basic ornaments, bowing, and rhythms will be covered.  Harvest Home Hornpipe will be taught."

Play an Old-Time Fiddle Tune
Presenters:  Clint Essary & Cheyenne Hoyt
Participants should bring a fiddle to the workshop and be prepared to leave knowing one or more basic familiar old-time fiddle tune(s).  If possible, each participant should arrive with their fiddle pre-tuned to save time.  Instructions and demonstrations will be provided.  

Cajun Twin Fiddle workshop focusing on the Double fiddle styles of Louisiana (mostly Dennis McGee and Canray Fontenot) 
The older Cajun style on two violins hearkens back to the 19th century and involves a melody part, as well as a rhythmic chordal bassing part, reflecting French, British Isles, and African roots. We will teach several tunes in this style. There will be a few handouts of the music.

Twin Fiddle Workshop focusing on Tohono O'Odham (Elliott Johnson)  tunes of Arizona.
The O'Odham style includes the chotis, mazurkas, polkas, two-steps, and waltzes. There is a melody part and two harmony parts. It is wonderful dance music reflecting European roots mixed with New World ideas. Several transcriptions will be included for participants.

Beginning Guitar – Strings Attached!
Bring your guitar and let Pat Neff get you started. This will be a basic beginner’s workshop.

Slack Key Guitar
Bring your guitar along and learn the distinctive tunings and right hand techniques of Hawaiian slack key guitar. There may be hula dancers.

Blues Harmonica
During the harmonica workshop one will learn how to play a single harmonica in multiple keys in order to facilitate the playing of different styles such as blues, country, jazz, etc.

Hammered Dulcimer
Curious about this crazy trapezoidal shaped instrument that can go from beautiful old Celtic harp tunes to dynamic, syncopated old-time dance tunes?  We'll start with an introduction to the instrument for beginners or the just curious, and then if we have a quorum of more experienced players we'll explore playing techniques and learn a new tune. (Taught by Peter Esherick from the band Hands Five)

Klezmer music is the traditional instrumental dance music of the Jewish communities of Eastern Europe. Learn some exotic scales, a klezmer tune and accompaniment/chording patterns for the tune - all instruments welcome. Tune taught "by ear" - charts given out at end of workshop.

Mandolin
Intermediate level mandolinists will have a ball playing with Dave Firestine, the leader of the notorious Carp Camp folks at Winfield.

An Introduction to the Whistle
The whistle (penny whistle or tin whistle) compared to the other instruments in traditional Celtic music, is

• the lightest (easiest to carry around)
• the least expensive to purchase
• among the easiest to start to play

Come take the first step!

Songwriting
Veteran songwriter Jim Terrell, who will be performing at the songwriters’ venue at noon, will present a workshop designed to help you make the most of your ideas for songs.

General Schedule Workshops Performers Volunteering Supporters Resources Contact Us

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