Lorinda sets the group up for a new folk song

The group was rather quiet that first night, but all came with specific ideas in mind and ready to work to get there. Any fears I had were relieved that first morning.  Everyone was so congenial and excited to get to work. They worked hard during the first session to learn new techniques that improve their playing, and enjoyed playing a multi level part song.  Then during the afternoon, the magic started happening as everyone began to feel more comfortable and take their chances.  As we played a new song they had learned from a lead sheet, they began to sing, and not just the simple melody of the folk song, but three part harmony, with their own accompaniment! I was blown away. I had never had so many students who were comfortable singing with their harps. It was truly heavenly music.

The week has just gotten better and better and we we have learned a tremendous amount of music, shared stories and songs, lots of laughter, and chocolate!

The week has just gotten better and better and we we have learned a tremendous amount of music, shared stories and songs, lots of laughter, and chocolate! We have made relationships that will last a lifetime as we exchange emails and pictures. And now we anticipate the closing showcase, sharing our music with the rest of our fellow students that we have shared meals and activities with during the week.

Every year it’s the same…”this has to be the best class ever!”

Visit Lorinda Jones’ website

The post An Incredible Week of Folk Harp and Fellowship appeared first on John C. Campbell Folk School Blog.

The David Rakoff Scholarship Fund
To celebrate the life of David Rakoff, The John C. Campbell Folk School has established a fund that will award the first David Rakoff Scholarship in 2013. This Scholarship fund will provide tuition and board for a week-long class. David was a student, a dear friend of the Folk School and a member of its Board of Directors. In a New York Times article, David wrote, “The week I spent there is as close as it gets to my idea of paradise.” This scholarship fund will help deserving students experience this unique school in the North Carolina mountains that David loved. We hope that you will consider joining us in this endeavor and make a tax deductible donation to help strengthen this fund. (click here to read David’s entire NY Times article)

As a thank you for donating $500 or more to this fund, the School would like to send you a Folk School t-shirt and a copy of our Emmy-nominated DVD “Sing Behind the Plow”

About the School
The John C. Campbell Folk School, located in scenic Brasstown, North Carolina, provides experiences in non-competitive learning and community life that are joyful and enlivening. Over 6,000 people a year participate in 800 hands-on, non-competitive classes in craft, art, music, dance, cooking, gardening, nature studies, photography and writing. The Folk School also makes available a vast range of public activities including free concerts, literary readings, lectures and demonstrations. For more details about our School please visit www.folkschool.org.

Our distinctive educational experiences allow students to acquire new skills, not only as artists, but as thoughtful individuals working together in a community. Students accomplish things here that they never thought possible. They learn to build, create, and craft new things in a no pressure environment— a rarity in today’s world. This type of non-competitive learning has a profound impact on a student’s life. It offers them a new perspective on art, fine craft, and the world around them. It gives pride and a sense of accomplishment in work well done. As a student once said, “There is no other place quite like the Folk School. I hope to return often for being here gives me clarity and focus on how I would most like to live my life.”

The John C. Campbell Folk School is a tax-exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and all donations are tax deductible to the extent allowable by law. (EIN: 56-0552780)

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Students jam on the screened porch at the Dining Hall during Dance Musicians’ Week

Have you heard about Dance Musician’s Week at the Folk School?

If you’re a musician, then you’ll love  a fun-filled week devoted to learning and improving techniques of playing and arranging music for traditional contra, square, and couple dancing. Class time includes slow-tune jams, ensemble playing, instructor presentations, tutorials, discussions, and dancing. Instructors and students also play for nightly public dances.

The Dance Musicians’ play nightly dances in the Keith House

Ability to enroll ends next week so sign up fast! Call the office to find out more: 828-837-2775

The post Dance Musicians’ Week July 7-13, 2013! appeared first on John C. Campbell Folk School Blog.

We’ve taken a peak in some of the classes at the Folk School this week. See what they’re up to!

Folk Harp with Lorinda Jones (that’s her class playing and singing in the video!)
Charleston Sweetgrass Basketry with Sarah Hammond
Blacksmithing 18th Century Tobacco and Smoking Implements with Jerry Darnell

The post Take a Peak at Some of This Week’s Classes at the Folk School! appeared first on John C. Campbell Folk School Blog.

Do you love reading the Folk School blog? Have you ever wanted to contribute? Well we now have a handy check list that can help.

1. If you want to write a blog, please email us at Marketing@folkschool.org and we will create an account for you on our blog. If you need help submitting the blog, send all photos and the article to marketing@folkschool.org and we will help you get it online.

2. The Folk School Blog is an online journal of current events. Please submit the article no later than one week after the event/class has happened being sure to correct grammar, spelling and punctuation.

3. Please edit your article so that is no more than 500 words– readers are more likely to read the whole thing if this is done.

4. Photos should be in focus and high resolution. This means that it should be no smaller than 400px in any direction and no smaller than 72dpi.

Thanks for your interest in becoming a part of our blog!

John C. Campbell Folk School
Marketing Department

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Students can learn to make their own muical instruments. This group completed a five-day traditional banjo-making class. (From the article in the Dallas Morning News)

We’ve made it to Texas! Dallas, Texas reporter, Debbie Moose, has written an awesome article on the Folk School called,
“North Carolina school’s happy campers learn traditional folk arts.”

Read it on their website here: Dallas Morning News

For 88 years, John C. Campbell Folk School has taught a variety of skills, from blacksmithing to weaving. Along the way, some two dozen couples have met and gotten married. The school is in Brasstown, N.C.

The post We’re in the Dallas Morning News! appeared first on John C. Campbell Folk School Blog.

Nancy Cutrer, wife to one of our wonderful instructors, has produced a video capturing the sense of what the folk school experience is like.

“I was a guest of the photography instructor at the Folk School during the week of Sept 16-22, 2012. This video is a compilation of some of the photographs I took during the week. I tried to include photos of all of the classes that week as well as images that I hope translate the feeling and the atmosphere in and around the campus. It was a wonderful week and I took away sooo much with me. I can’t wait to go back.” -Nancy Cutrer

The post Nancy Cutrer’s Video Shows Us what the Folk School Experience is All About appeared first on John C. Campbell Folk School Blog.

You never know who you’re going to see at the Craft Shop. Yesterday, we  had a surprise visit from Santa!

Maybe he had heard Christmas is year-round at the Craft Shop? He loved our tree, decorated with handmade ornaments!

He also loved our handmade hats by Karen Swing so much, he bought one for himself (shown above).  Not sure this is really Santa?

He had credentials and we passed inspection! Thank you, Santa Jeaux!

Want to experience a little Christmas?

Come to the Craft Shop any day of the year :)

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Martha Owen and David Liden were invited once again to visit Peachtree Elementary for their annual career day. They decided to invite their daughter Annie Fain Liden-Barralon to come with them because she does, in fact, have a career involving music and dance! “What a hoot,” said David, “she really does have a career in this kind of thing.” David and Martha are accustomed to singing for their supper (or in the case of Peachtree Elementary for a bag of goodies including peanut butter crackers and an apple.) Martha asked the kids, who ranged in age from 4-9 years old, do you know what an occupation is? How about an a vocation? Some kids knew that a career was a job you got paid for but no one had heard of an a vocation before…”Something you do all the time, if you can, because it is lots of fun, but maybe you don’t ever get paid to do it. Who likes to have fun?” Well, everyone of course. After Martha told a story and David played Fooba Wooba John accompanied by his jaw harp, Annie Fain had the kids up and dancing with their favorite clogging steps.

The trio was joined by Annie Fain’s son Jules Owen Luc Barralon who enjoyed the first song the most, “I had a little rooster by the barnyard gate…” from his seat in his carrier on Annie Fain’s back. Jules is now 1 year old and likes animal sounds very much. Annie Fain has stepped into the big-dance-shoes-to-fill of Bob Dalsemer, who carefully created and promoted the dance and music program at the J. C. Campbell Folk School for over 20 years. You can now find Annie Fain and her husband (a fellow musician) Géraud at the school hosting the Tuesday night dance contra and square dances from 7-8pm (free), Friday night concerts (free) and twice monthly Saturday night dances 8-11pm, $7. (We need to help and pay the band and callers! Some people try to make music their career after all. )

See www.folkschool.org for more information about the year-round dances, the Friday night concert series and the wonderful craft class program.

Martha Owen and David Liden

The post New Music and Dance Coordinator Spotted at Peachtree Elementary appeared first on John C. Campbell Folk School Blog.

 It was mid-afternoon at the Folk School and I heard crowing in the near distance. I followed the sound and discovered its source.

A rooster and his lady friends were enjoying the sunshine  near the vegetable gardens.

Nearby, was JCCFS Gardener & Volunteer Coordinator, Joe Baumgartner. I discovered Joe named our rooster, Edward, after a former Work Study. He also named Edward the Rooster’s four friends:

Maryilyn, who is an Australorp

Margaret, is a Rhode Island Red

Florence (“Flo” to her friends) is an Ameraucana

And we’re just not sure about Flossie :)

 Take a stroll up by the vegetable gardens and you might see Edward and his friends too.

 Move in a little closer.

Reach out and make some new friends at the Folk School.

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While you’re here, we hope you will stop by the Craft Shop too.

We also have a crowing rooster…

and a few chickens you might want to take home with you :)

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