• 6th Annual Jim Richter Mandolin Camp for the Rest of Us Announced

    6th Annual 6th Jim Richter Mandolin Camp for the Rest of Us

    Bloomington, Ind. — After a short hiatus, the 6th Jim Richter Mandolin Camp for the Rest of Us featuring Mandolin for Dummies and Mandolin Exercises For Dummies author Don Julin will be held July 10-13 at the Grant Street Inn in Bloomington.

    As always, the camp focuses on non-bluegrass mandolin styles with a special emphasis on rock and blues. Additionally, the camp intends to address "beginner-itis," or the dreaded disease effecting those mandolinists who never seem to move beyond beginner status.

    If your goal is to win the Winfield mandolin contest next year, this may not be the camp for you. If your goal is to learn to better enjoy the instrument we all love and endear, this most definitely will be your 2019 mandolin camp.

    Course Curriculum

    • Blues
    • Rock
    • Jazz
    • Arrangement
    • Basic music theory
    • Technique
    • Practice routines
    • e-Mando
    • Jamming

    As in previous years, attendees will help refine the curriculum by completing a questionnaire that is a part of registration.

    Returning this year will be concurrently held "special topic" classes. For example, while Don Julin is teaching basic music theory, Jim Richter will accept a handful of students for blues arrangement. Or conversely, while Jim is teaching a general class on practice routines, Don will hold a small group on jazz arrangements.

    20 minutes of individual instruction is a standard part of the camp. Given that camp is open to around 20 attendees, we have to limit private instruction to 15 minutes. Individual instruction will be held in the mornings between 9:00 - 11:30 a.m.

    • Wednesday - Nonobligatory Meet and Greet/Jam
    • Thursday - Individual a.m. sessions, classes noon - 5:00 p.m. followed by jamming
    • Friday - Individual a.m. sessions, classes noon - 5:00 p.m. followed by jamming
    • Saturday - Individual a.m. sessions, classes noon - 5:00 p.m., Faculty concert

    Cost: Tuition for the workshop is $320 ($330 if paying via Paypal). This covers camp instruction, printed materials, individual instruction, and the faculty concert. It does not include dining or lodging.

    Additional Information