• Tristan Scroggins and Steve Kritzer Lead This Year's California Coast Music Camps

    California Coast Music CampPALO ALTO, CALIF. — This July, California Coast Music Camp (CCMC) celebrates 28 years! Two week-long acoustic camps are offered: July 12-18 and July 19-25, 2020.

    The camp is located on a wooded ridge at 4,000 feet, in the historic Sierra Nevada Gold Country in Placer County, northeast of Sacramento.

    CCMC offers more than 30 classes in mandolin, guitar, bass, banjo, voice, ukulele, fiddle, percussion, harmony singing, theory, songwriting, and stagecraft. CCMC focuses on teaching practical, usable skills to incorporate into your playing or singing. Styles include bluegrass, swing, blues, old time, country, folk, jazz, rock, Brazilian, Celtic, and more. The camp features extra workshops, band labs, jams, concerts, dances, and performance opportunities.

    Swimming and hiking are non-musical options at CCMC, and some campers bring bikes to explore old roads and mining towns in the area. The camp has fairly flat terrain, with improved roads and trails throughout, and it overlooks one of the main canyons of the American River. Camp includes all meals and activities; for lodging, you can bring a tent or RV or stay in shared cabins.

    Week 1 Mandolin Instructor: Steve Kritzer

    Bay Area singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Steve Kritzer is "A Man of Many Musics" (SJ Mercury News), as comfortable with Celtic, bluegrass, folk, and country as he is with rock, big band swing, and pop. Steve's relaxed personable style on stage and teaching makes him a popular callback at festivals, concerts, and teaching camps from California to Ireland. When not teaching, recording, or performing, he's his "own grandpa" with his 10-year-old daughter.

    Week 2 Mandolin Instructor: Tristan Scroggins

    The son of a National Banjo Champion, Tristan Scroggins was surrounded with bluegrass traditions from birth. Having performed everywhere from rural bluegrass festivals to the Grand Ol' Opry, Tristan was awarded the prestigious Instrumentalist of the Year Momentum Award at age 22 by the International Bluegrass Music Association and in 2019 he received the Freshgrass Mandolin Award. With more than a decade of experience as a teacher and workshop instructor, Tristan has gained a reputation for his logically laid out curriculum, generous of resources, and relaxed, encouraging presence. Tristan has developed teaching materials based on achieving personal inspiration and practice techniques that allow students to overcome their personal musical hurdles.

    Details on classes for mandolin and other instruments, plus information about the camp itself are available on the Camp web site linked below. Students may register for one or both weeks. Scholarships are available.

    Tristan Scroggins' mandolin class performing at the student concert during in 2019.
    Tristan Scroggins' mandolin class performing at the student concert during in 2019

    Whether you're a shy beginner or a seasoned professional, CCMC's classes and activities will challenge and inspire you. The supportive atmosphere will encourage you to stretch musically, regardless of your level or experience. And CCMC is fun, and has been since 1992!

    Additional Information

    Comments 1 Comment
    1. Mandolin Cafe's Avatar
      Mandolin Cafe -
      The camp organizers have announced no camp for 2020 but they intend to return next year. This is what they're sharing:

      Our campers' health and safety is our priority, so we are calling off camp for the summer of 2020.

      The good news is that camp as we know it is not going to just disappear because we are taking a summer off. Stay tuned for 2021 when we will welcome back the same great lineup of teachers and classes we had planned for this year.

      Until then, please stay home and stay safe. We hope to see you next year!