Immerse yourself in the Picker Experience at Camp Kiwigrass!
Open to all bluegrass and old time musicians and those who would like to learn, Camp Kiwigrass is an opportunity to expand your musical horizons through collaboration and interaction with other practitioners of the genre. Expect impromptu sharing of knowledge, lots of jam sessions, a band scramble competition with fabulous prizes, and many opportunities to perform. Camp Kiwigrass replaces Kiwigrass Academy this year, due to the Covid19 pandemic and the unavailability of instructors from the US. The format will be different, but the experience will be every bit as exciting and enjoyable!
Camp Kiwigrass will be run similar to “Unconference” participant-driven meetings, where the attendees set the agenda based on what interests them most. We will set the sessions Wednesday morning. Everyone is encouraged to put their ideas for a session into the schedule.
Your day at Camp Kiwigrass:
Wednesday
- 8:00am – Check in, breakfast, band scramble assignments
- 9:00am – Welcome and session creation
- 10:00am – Session One
- 11:00am – morning tea
- 11:15am – Session Two
- 12:15pm – Lunch
- 1:15pm – Small group jam sessions, band scramble rehearsal
- 3:15pm – Session three
- 4:15pm – Afternoon tea
- 4:30pm – Session four
- 5:30pm – Small group jam sessions, band scramble rehearsal
- 6:30pm – Dinner
- 7:30pm – Band scramble preliminary round, followed by blackboard sets open to everyone.
Thursday
- 9:00am – Breakfast, announcement of band scramble finalists
- 10:00am – Session One
- 11:00am – morning tea
- 11:15am – Session Two
- 12:15pm – Lunch
- 1:15pm – Small group jam sessions, band scramble rehearsal
- 3:15pm – Session three
- 4:15pm – Afternoon tea
- 4:30pm – Session four
- 5:30pm – Small group jam sessions, band scramble rehearsal
- 6:30pm – Dinner
- 7:30pm – Band scramble finals round, followed by blackboard sets open to everyone.
Sessions:
The “Unconference Format” was born from the realisation that the most interesting conversations attendees often take home are not from Keynote speakers and powerpoint slideshows, they are the ones that happen spontaneously in the hallways with other participants between official presentations.
At the start of Camp we will be presented with a blank session chart. We can have up to 8 parallel sessions running at once, so bring your ideas. Some possible subjects for sessions:
- A technique you’ve learned and want to share
- A technique you want to learn but have struggled with
- The work of your favourite musicians
- History of your instrument or genre
- Instrument set up and maintenance
- Gear buying or selling tips
- Sound equipment and engineering
- Gig and tour planning
- Band management and dynamics
These are just a few ideas. The point is that if you’re interested in a subject there will be others there who will also find it interesting, and together everyone will come away richer for having the conversation.
You don’t have to be an advanced player, everyone will be alongside participants of similar experience. However you will need to have a basic familiarity with your instrument to be able to join in without holding up the group.
Kiwigrass is produced with the support of:
and in association with :
