Music Camp Fees (and what you get)

Full program with all the trimmings for Participants:

The cost for Participants is $250 for the full program. This includes your workshops, meals, Saturday night All Star Concert, after hour jam sessions and more (see further details below). Register before April 15 and save $25: just $225 for the early-bird discount.

 

Accompanists' program

If you're travelling with a partner who doesn't play, he/she can come as an Accompanist for only $120. That includes all the parties, meals, concert, attendance at select demonstration workshops, and participation in the square dance session.

 

Take just an individual workshop or two:

We also offer the workshops 'a la carte' for $40 each, if you have a very specific interest and can't spend the whole weekend with us. The actual workshop schedule will be on line in May. You can register on-line in advance, or at the last minute on-site.

 

What workshops are available:

Expect to find a great mix of instrument workshops including technique and repertoire (for guitar, fiddle, mandolin, banjo, bass, tinwhistle, keyboards); voice; dance; composition and more. Our practice in the past 5 years has been to poll our campers when they register, to determine what the desires are for particular workshops, and at what skill levels. Our faculty is ready to offer workshops that cater to what you want to learn. We will offer a program to suit the demand, with a schedule that is published about a month prior to camp.

 

You can take a look at last years workshop schedule to get an idea of the variety and depth of offerings to expect this year.

 

Our workshop philosophy in a nutshell

Our workshops are geared to teach you new techniques and repertoire. Our goal is to give you something to take away: instruction on how to keep on learning, how to practice what you've learned here, and how to find new resources to help you keep learning when you get home. Many of our workshops will provide you with take-away learning resources.

Further details: What you get with your full registration

Everybody is welcome to participate in the jams including your instructors.

Jam session socials on two nights, five workshops in small classes (select from about 40 different workshops) with incredible instructors, including Band Labs with professional coaching, 2 lunches, a gourmet supper, a fantastic All Star Concert on Saturday night with primo seats, and how can we say it best?...a weekend that will make any traditonal music enthusiast very happy. The finale to the weekend, after our Sunday lunch, is our Band Lab showcase performance by the new bands formed here over the weekend.

Get close to the floor with Roddie's Square Dancers.

Square dance session

Those that like it, like it a lot. Last period of Saturday afternoon is a square dance hosted by our local Roddie's Square Dance Society. All campers and accompanists are welcome to join in with Roddie's enthusiastic dancers. The session starts with some basic instruction in the steps and set patterns for beginners, then everyone can join in for a session powered by live local players.

On-Site Luthier

Cape Breton luthier Johannes Sturm is on hand during the weekend to help you resolve any problems you might encounter with your stringed instruments. In addition to leading workshops on his craft, he is available to help with minor repairs and tunings, instrument assessments, and advice on your own instrument. Johannes' services in this regard are available to music campers at no cost during Music Camp.

Find unique items like this handcrafted Celtic knot made from repurposed instrument strings (Encorejewel.com).

Artisans Show and Sale + Instrument Swap and Sale

This will be our fourth year of hosting an Artisans Market featuring the best of our local craft and art makers. We will also have a kiosk to sell recordings and publications by our faculty musicians. This event is open to, and promoted to the general public. Once again we will feature a Used Instrument Swap and Sale. During the Artisans Market and Instrument Swap on Saturday (11:30 am - 3:30 pm), you can put any surplus instruments you have up for sale, or come shopping for a new thing of beauty.

'Pluck you' workshop with Darren McMullen
Roger on the Musical Theory of Relativity (just kidding, this pic is from his famous Singing 101 workshop).

Our Saturday night All Star Concert features your workshop instructors in a fabulous live stage show. This concert is a very special feature of camp weekend. Each year it has become 'one of those concerts you will never forget'. Registered campers and accompianists get choice seats in the front rows. The house has always been filled to standing room only with our sponsors and members of the local community in the audience. This year, the concert will be held at St. Peter's Lions Hall - the same venue used for our annual Celtic Colours concerts, dances, weddings and so on. The hall offers our growing audience ample seating and comfort, barrier-free access, handy washrooms, close parking, and a refreshment counter at intermission. John Ellingbo and his associates at Cape Breton's renowned Sound Source will spoil us with their exceptionally good sound as always, and some new lighting tricks this year.

 

To see some video clips from our 2015 All Star Concert please check out this page.