Schedule
Folk College 2025 Schedule
Folk College is full of great workshops, concerts, singing, and dancing.
Key
Levels:
1=beginner/non-musician
2=advanced beginner
3=intermediate
4=intermediate/advanced
5=advanced/professional
Codes:
S=singing
I=instrumentals
E=taught by ear
M=sheet music provided
P=instruments provided
D=discussion, no playing
Workshops are for all instruments unless otherwise indicated
2025 Schedule
Friday, May 23, 2025
Friday, 10 am to 1 pm Pre-Event Intensives
Separate Registration Required
Basic Folk Skills — Midnight on the Water
Level 1-2, all instruments
Bass for All — Noah Harrington
Level 3-5, for almost all instruments
Cello Intensive — Karl Henry
Level 2-5
Clawhammer Banjo — G Rockwell
Level 2-5
Harmonica — Richard Sleigh
Level 2-5
Latin American Music — Maurizio Fiore Salas
Level 3-5, all instruments
Mandolin — Henry Koretzky & Steve Buckalew
Level 2-5
Old Time Fiddle — Carson McHaney
Level 3-5
Piedmont Style Guitar — Valerie Turner
Level 3-5
Roots Percussion — Benedict Turner
Level 1-5
Songwriting — Jamie Anderson
Level 1-5
Folk College Begins
Friday, 3 to 4 pm
Sea Chanties – Chivalrous Crickets (Level 1-5, S)
Bob Dylan Songs – Henry Koretzky (Level 1-5, SI, l&c)
Practice with Intention- Noah Harrington (Level 1-5, SI)
Hearing Chord Changes – Rachel Hall (Level 1-2, I)
How to Jam – Karen Hirshon & Linda Littleton (Level 1-2, SIP)
Tiny Tunes – Nathan Bishop & Tom Krumm (Level 2-3, I, ear)
Canadian Tunes – Clara Rose & G Rockwell (Level 3-5, I, ear)
Balfolk Tunes- Dani Hawkins (Level 3-5, music)
South American 3 Against 2- Maurizio Fiore Salas (Level 4-5, I, music)
Friday, 4:15 to 5:15 pm
Scottish Mouth Music – Fiona Gillespie (Level 1-5, S)
Elizabeth Cotten Songs- Valerie Turner (Level 1-5, SI, l&c)
Beginners Jam – Jamie Anderson (Level 1-3, SI)
Let’s Get Rhythmic – Benedict Turner (Level 1-2, P)
Easy Old Time Reels – Jay Best (Level 2-3, I, ear)
Better Backup – Henry Koretzky & Steve Buckalew (Level 3-4, I)
Ceilidh Band Practice – Genna Gillespie (Level 3-5, I, music)
Making it Sound Old Timey – Karl Henry (Level 3-5, I)
Swedish Melodies – Clara Rose (Level 4-5, I, ear)
Friday, 7 pm Faculty Concert
Simple Gifts
Chivalrous Crickets
Piedmont Bluz Acoustic Duo
High Horse
Friday, After the Concert
Ceilidh Dance with Open Band – Caller Fiona Gillespie, Band Leader Genna Gillespie (Dancers: Level 1-5, Instruments: 3-5)
Beginners’ Jam – Simple Gifts (Level 1-2, SIP, ear)
Jamming with Members of High Horses (Level 3-5 ear)
Performance Lab – Jamie Anderson (Level 3-5)
Start Your Own Jam
Friday, 11 pm
Jamming with Midnight on the Water (Level 3-5, I, ear)
Dorm Jam – Jay Best & Cathy Petrissans (Level 2-5, SIP, ear)
Start Your Own Jam
Saturday, May 24, 2025
Saturday, 9:30 - 10:45 am
Try a Mandolin – Henry Koretzky (Level 1, ear)
Learn to Play Bodhran – Fiona Gillespie (Level 1, P)
Kitty Wells Songs – Cathy Petrissans (Level 1-5, SI, l&c)
Songwriting Fundamentals – Jamie Anderson (Level 1-5)
Tips for Beginners – Jay Best & Steve Buckalew (Level 1-2, SI)
Awesome Easy Tunes – Tom Krumm & Dani Hawkins (Level 2, I, ear)
Pennsylvania Tunes – Simple Gifts (Level 3-4, I, music)
Music Games to Train Your Ear – G Rockwell (Level 3-5, ear)
Baroque Tunes – Paul Morton & Ben Matus (Level 4-5, I, music)
Harmonica – Richard Sleigh (Level 2-5)
Irish Fiddle – Genna Gillespie (Level 3-5)
Saturday, 11 am to 12:15 pm
Try a Banjo – Jay Best (Level 1, P, ear)
Learn to Play Washboard – Benedict Turner (Level 1, P)
Woody Guthrie Songs – Richard Sleigh (Level 1-5, SI, l&c)
Beginners Jam – Henry Koretzky (Level 1-2, SI)
Easy Irish Tunes – Chivalrous Crickets (Level 2-3, I, music)
Old Time Tunes – Steve Buckalew (Level 3-4, I, music)
Tune Writing – Carson McHaney (Level 3-5)
Venezuelan Songs – Maurizio Fiore Salas (Level 3-5, SI, ear)
Danish Tunes – Karl Henry (Level 4-5, I, ear)
Fiddle Chops – Clara Rose (Level 2-5)
Piano Backup – Rachel Hall (Level 2-5)
Saturday, 1:45 to 3 pm
Try a Penny Whistle -Fiona Gillespie(Level 1, ear)
Clogging – Cathy Petrissans (Level 1-5, P)
Mississippi John Hurt Songs – Valerie Turner (Level 1-5, SI, l&c)
Train Songs – Richard Sleigh (Level 1-5, SI, l&c)
Backup Basics – Jay Best (Level 1-2, I)
Easy Waltzes – Karen Hirshon & Linda Littleton (Level 2-3, I, ear)
Contradance Band Practice – Midnight on the Water (Level 3-4, I, music)
Band Groove Games – Noah Harrington (Level 3-5, I)
Irish Tunes – Carson McHaney & Holly Foy (Level 3-5, I, ear)
Making Your Solos Better – Henry Koretzky (Level 4-5, I, ear)
Bluegrass Guitar – G Rockwell (Level 2-5)
Saturday, 3:15 to 4:45 pm
Folk Band Rehearsal – Faculty coaches (1-5, SI, ear, music)
Based on the form you filled out during orientation (Saturday 8:45 am), you’ll be assigned to a band that will rehearse with the help of a staff coach and then perform at Sunday’s Student Concert. There will also be an option to join a non-performing band. Band lists and locations will be posted in Von Leibig Lobby.
Saturday, 7 pm Faculty Concert
Jamie Anderson
Midnight on the Water
Acoustic Nomads
Saturday, After the Concert
Contradance – Bob Nicholson (Dancers 1-5)
Dances will be taught and called by the world’s best dance caller and party leader! If you can walk and count to 4, you can contradance!
Contradance Open Band – Midnight on the Water (Instruments 3-5, I, music)
Play along with the contradance band and watch with amazement as the dancers are in sync with what you’re playing! Sheet music and chords will be provided. Make sure to wear your wackiest hat and zanyest sweater.
Three-Chord Jam – Cathy Petrissans (Singers Level 1-5, Instruments 2-5, l&c)
Jamming with Members of Acoustic Nomads (Level 3-5, SI, ear)
Blues Jam – Piedmont Bluz Acoustic Duo (Level 3-5, SI, ear)
Saturday, 11 pm
Dorm Jam – Steve Buckalew & Richard Sleigh (Level 3-5, SI, ear)
Stop by the dorm lounge for informal jamming before you roll into bed. Anything you want to play or sing is welcome!
Sunday, May 25, 2025
Sunday, 8:45 to 10 am
Try a Harmonica – Richard Sleigh (Level 1, ear)
For the absolute beginner, Richard will get you started playing this fun instrument. Bring a harmonica in the key of C, or you can buy an inexpensive one at the workshop.
How to Perform Solo – Jamie Anderson (Level 2-5, SI)
Three-Part Harmony – Members of High Horse (Level 3-5, S, ear)
Easy Scandinavian Tunes – Dani Hawkins (Level 2-3, I, ear)
Easy English Tunes – Members of Chivalrous Crickets (Level 2-3, I, music)
Faking It – Henry Koretzky & Steve Buckalew (Level 3-5, I, ear)
Free Improv – Clara Rose & Maurizio Fiore Salas (Level 3-5, I, ear)
Pop Songs for Instruments – Nathan Bishop & Tom Krumm (Level 4-5, I, ear)
Balkan Tunes – Rachel Hall (Level 4-5, music)
Piedmont Style Fingerpicking Guitar – Valerie Turner (Level 3-5)
Irish Whistle – RaFiona Gillespie (Level 2-5)
Sunday, 10:15 to 11:30 am
Try a Fiddle – Carson McHaney & Jay Best (Level 1, P, ear)
Hambone – Benedict Turner (Level 1-5, P)
Shape Note Singing – Rachel Hall & Cathy Petrissans (Level 1-5, S)
Two Chord Songs – Jamie Anderson (Level 1-3, SI, l&c)
How to Teach & Lead Folksongs – Fiona Gillespie (Level 1-5, S)
Easy Versions of Basic Tunes – Simple Gifts (Level 2-3, I, music)
How to Play Harmony – Tom Krumm & Nathan Bishop (Level 3-4, I)
Afro-Carribean Clave – Maurizio Fiore Salas (Level 3-5, I, music)
Call & Response – G Rockwell & Noah Harrington (Level 3-5, ear)
Scottish Tunes – Genna Gillespie & Paul Morton (Level 3-5, I, ear)
Folk Cello – Dani Hawkins & Karl Henry (Level 2-5)
Sunday, 1:15 to 2:15 pm
Folk Band Rehearsals
Sunday, 2:30 to 4:30 pm
Rehearsal with your Folk Band and Faculty Coach
Sunday, After the Concert
The Last Jam – Henry Koretzky & Cathy Petrissans (1-5, SI, ear)
Stick around after the concert and jam one last time until we see each other again at the Pennsylvania Folk Gathering in September. This will be a mix of singing and instrumentals, whatever tunes or songs you want to suggest.
*Schedule subject to change
