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Thread: Camp Report: Julian Family Fiddle Camp

  1. #1
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    Default Camp Report: Julian Family Fiddle Camp

    Thought I'd post a trip report on this year's Julian Family Fiddle Camp since it was such a joy this year...

    I attended the 2012 Julian Family Fiddle Camp in Julian, California, with my son Boone, who is 13 years old and plays fiddle. Boone and I came back this year with high hopes for a repeat of the camaraderie and musical learning of last year's camp. This year's session did not disappoint. Through five days of workshops, instructor concerts and spontaneous jamming, we both enjoyed an enriching musical experience.

    The 2012 camp included classes for mandolin, fiddle and guitar, with the one-and-only Evan Marshall heading up the mandolin sessions. I've been playing mandolin for about 10 years and joined the mandolin class with Evan and 4 other students. He is a gifted teacher, an amazing musician... and at times, downright hilarious. His classes combined learning new tunes with workshops on tremolo, soloing over changes and music theory. Evan has a gift with explaining complex concepts in simple terms, and using his silky-toned Gilchrist mandolin to underscore his teaching.

    My son Boone got to study with Calvin Vollrath, an extraordinary fiddler from Canada, who teaches fiddle tunes by ear. Boone was pushed to stretch his musical ear, and at the end of the camp, I watched proudly as he recorded all of his newly mastered fiddle tunes on to my iPhone for future reference. The most enriching part of the camp was being surrounded by such a broad range of talent, and consistently being delighted by what unfolded naturally every day. The "Tyler Grant Band", the spontaneously formed "super group" of instructors with a diverse range of musical backgrounds, wowed us each evening with a jaw-dropping performance. How often do you get to see a specialist in Italian-style and bluegrass solo mandolin mixing it up with a gifted Canadian fiddler, a brilliant flat pick guitar player from the mountains of Colorado, and a swinging rhythm guitarist from Arkansas? Many of the students were equally inspiring. I witnessed a number of students going for it in their first ever jam with other musicians, with nothing but encouragement and support pouring out from everyone in the group. This was the real strength and magic of the camp: people sharing their talent, no matter at what level or style, without a trace of judgment or discouragement. My son and I will be returning again.
    Last edited by mandomayer; May-01-2012 at 12:53pm.

  2. #2
    Fingers of Concrete ccravens's Avatar
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    Dec 2005
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    Default Re: Camp Report: Julian Family Fiddle Camp

    Congrats.

    Sounds like you guys had a great time.
    Chris Cravens

    Girouard A5
    Montana Flatiron A-Jr.
    Passernig Mandola
    Leo Posch D-18

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