Barnfest 2023 Mini-Workshops

Description

Beginner Ukulele with Joe Blumenthal

Time: 1 PM

Location: Elmside Cabin

Max Attendees: 6

Workshop Description

Have you always wished you could play a musical instrument?  Here’s your chance to learn to play the ukulele in one session.  The uke is small, only has four easy-to-press-down nylon strings, and is very accessible to beginning musicians.  Joe will get you singing and strumming songs in just 45 minutes! Ukuleles will be provided.

Instructor: Joe Blumenthal

Joe is the founder of Northampton’s AEIOUkes ukulele club, and has led the group in many performances in the Valley, including a spot in Northampton’s annual First Night celebration.  He has given workshops on playing ukulele at Northampton’s Senior Center and at Greenfield Community College in addition to Barnfest.

Beginner Fiddle with Van Kaynor

Time: 1 PM

Location: Bear Den Cabin

Max Attendees: 6

Workshop Description

This is an introduction to left and right hand technique to get you started playing. If it’s your very first time, I’ll encourage just plucking to start, or bowing only open strings that will sound great backing up a tune I play.  Violins will be provided if you don’t have one.

Instructor: Van Kaynor

Van was classically trained from childhood, yet maintains his interest in fiddle music, performing his own compositions as well as music styles from around the world, including Swedish, Romanian, Klezmer, Irish, English, Scottish and French Canadian. Growing up in a family of musicians, he loved playing at fiddle contests with his dad on piano, and later with his family band, the Fourgone Conclusions, at contra dances. He has melded his love of classical music into his own creative adaptations for Contra and English dance, and has played for dance camps and festivals from Alaska to Nova Scotia. He plays and records with The Moving Violations where many of his compositions can be heard, and has played in several other bands including Big Bandemonium and Wild Asparagus. He appeared on Prairie Home Companion with the band Spaelimenninir.

Van has a playful, yet organized teaching style and enjoys the challenges of teaching students of all levels and ages, 5 and up. He has been teaching violin/fiddle lessons since the early 1980s, and later, his classical and fiddle interests resonated with Suzuki teacher training. He has taught with his own modified Suzuki method since his training began in 1992. Since Covid, Van has also led large fiddle workshops, as well as private lessons over Zoom.

International Family Dance Workshop with Rachelle Ackerman

Time: 2 PM

Location: Barn

Max Attendees: 10

Workshop Description

Rachelle will present simple, fun dances for all ages from a range of cultures around the world.

Instructor: Rachelle Ackerman

Rachelle fell in love with international folk dancing at age 8 when she was introduced to it in school. She is a former member of Mandala Folk Ensemble and has led the Brattleboro International Folk Dance group since 1997. She has taught school residencies throughout Vermont and Western Massachusetts.

Fiddle Tricks with Van Kaynor

Time: 2 PM

Location: Bear Den Cabin

Max Attendees: 10

Workshop Description

This workshop will run through a dozen or more brief tricks to help develop technique with some silliness just for fun. You will learn, for example, how to watch your strings “wake up” when a note is played exactly in tune, how to imitate a mosquito and a siren, and how to play a “vibrato trill” which Becky Ashenden taught me for Eastern European ornamentation. All levels are welcome, and if a trick seems too difficult, you may at least observe how to do it.

Instructor: Van Kaynor

Van was classically trained from childhood, yet maintains his interest in fiddle music, performing his own compositions as well as music styles from around the world, including Swedish, Romanian, Klezmer, Irish, English, Scottish and French Canadian. Growing up in a family of musicians, he loved playing at fiddle contests with his dad on piano, and later with his family band, the Fourgone Conclusions, at contra dances. He has melded his love of classical music into his own creative adaptations for Contra and English dance, and has played for dance camps and festivals from Alaska to Nova Scotia. He plays and records with The Moving Violations where many of his compositions can be heard, and has played in several other bands including Big Bandemonium and Wild Asparagus. He appeared on Prairie Home Companion with the band Spaelimenninir.

Van has a playful, yet organized teaching style and enjoys the challenges of teaching students of all levels and ages, 5 and up. He has been teaching violin/fiddle lessons since the early 1980s, and later, his classical and fiddle interests resonated with Suzuki teacher training. He has taught with his own modified Suzuki method since his training began in 1992. Since Covid, Van has also led large fiddle workshops, as well as private lessons over Zoom.

Dorset Button Making with Carolyn Wetzel

Time: 2 PM

Location: Spinning Area

Max Attendees: 10

Workshop Description

In the 18th-19th centuries, thousands of people in Dorset, England, were employed hand-making buttons from thread and simple rings of metal or bone. Today, many artisans are rediscovering the Dorset Button technique for embellishments and jewelry. In this workshop you will learn to make a traditional Dorset Cartwheel button. You will use a plastic ring, color perle cotton thread, and a tapestry needle (all supplied by the instructor). Ages 8+

Instructor: Carolyn Wetzel

Carolyn Wetzel is a fiber arts enthusiast and biology professor who lives in Western MA. She is the President of the New England Lace Group (nelg.us) and recently finished the Master Weaver program at the Hill Institute (Florence, MA).

T-Shirt to Apron with Sara-Jeane Burke

Time: 2 PM

Location: School House Porch

Max Attendees: 6

Workshop Description

At Barnfest, Sara Jeanne will guide you through making an apron from a T-shirt or a polo shirt. Bring along a couple of T-shirts (or use one of ours) and let’s get cutting!

Instructor: Sara-Jean Burke

Sara Jeanne Burke has been interested in working with fabrics, yarns and fiber since she was a child. She grew up in Kentucky surrounded by women who knew how to re-use and re-purpose most things, especially cloth. She was initially introduced to the ‘T-shirt to Apron’ idea from a video produced by Crispina ffrench, a Stockbridge, MA, upcycling artist/designer several years ago. There are many videos online with T-shirt to Apron techniques and Sara Jeanne finds Crispina’s instructions to be quite good. Another good video is on the Creative Living site with fiber artist/designer Marisa Pawelko.

Hand Sewn Button Holes with Jenny Wildermuth

Time: 3 PM

Location: Spinning Area

Max Attendees: 6

Program Description

In this workshop, Jenny will teach cutting, stabilizing and edging a basic button hole. Perfect for anyone who works with thick, or heavy fabric, or wants to make heirloom or couture quality items. This skill is one often over looked in classes and books, but will give any project a quality finish.

Instructor: Jenny Wildermuth

Jenny, owner of The Natural Geek, started hand sewing at age 3, and has been creating historic reproductions, and couture costumes for the past 20 years. Learning both modern and historic sewing techniques has been a life long passion.

Hugelkulture Bed Build with Carl Davis

Time: 3 PM

Location: Garden

Max Attendees: 12

Program Description

Instructor: Carl Davis