JAMz 1 is designed for grades Pre-K to 1 (or permission from instructor)

Feb 19 & 20, 2026
9am-noon (Evergreen)
Registration INCLUDES a full 4-day pass to the festival

Welcome Singers! Having fun with music  is our main objective- Beginning instrumentalists (kids that optionally bring a working uke, or any other instrument you play) will be able to accompany at least 1 song (one chord, c7) as well as 2-3 chord songs according to existing skill set.

The Rad Trad theme at Wintergrass this year will  take JAMZ1 on a deep dive into  traditional folk songs and folk art. We will  sing and play singing games – and you are welcome to join,  and make traditional  wooden spoon characters to sing with.  We will share 3-4 songs  with you on our last day for a mini-show, and invite you to sing and play along

Please bring:
Water bottle
Snack

About the instructor:

Sandy Buchner has been a pre school and elementary music teacher in Seattle since 1995, as well as a working musician and puppeteer.

 JAMz 2 is designed for grades 2 to 8

Feb 19 & 20, 2026
9am-4pm (Evergreen)
Registration INCLUDES a full 4-day pass to the festival

Students aged 7 to 14 and their families are invited to a porch & parlor pickin’ party. In JAMz2, the emphasis is on the music and immersion into the sharing culture of making music, whether in small groups or a giant festival.  Students will make new friends and flex their creativity and independence, venturing out into all the different Wintergrass spaces to hone their chops, absorb new tunes, and develop some showbiz razzamatazz, accompanied by some of the best musicians and teachers in the region.  There will be no idle hands, either: parents who wish to stay nearby will get to contribute their talents to the workshop’s organization, or learn something new. The staff of the popular Never Too Late workshop will assemble parent band scrambles and lead the adults through the same kind of fun their kids are having. JAMz2, welcomes all levels of experience, with instruction for beginners and proficient players alike.

JAMz3 is a program for high schoolers

Feb 20 & 21, 2026
10am-2pm (Maple)
Registration INCLUDES a full 4-day pass to the festival

JAMz3 is an opportunity for high school musicians to meet and play with peers in a supported, guided environment.  Participants will be matched with peers into bands, and work with adult mentors to put together a culminating performance.

Interest or experience with bluegrass is not necessary, as this is not a bluegrass-specific program.  (Those who are interested in bluegrass specifically will be matched with peers and mentors who share that interest.)  All acoustic musicians are welcome, including those who play winds or brass instruments, or are primarily vocalists.

We’ll also explore basic improvisation skills, as well as the fundamentals of using stage sound equipment, so your sound engineer help you perform your best.

JAMz3 is led by Kat Bula, a prolific fiddler, guitarist, songwriter and music educator.  She will be supported by a team of other equally fabulous teaching artists TBA.   

Saturday, Feb 21, 2026   tba (rehearsal, Cedar)
Sunday, Feb 22, 2026 (performance, Grand Ballroom)
Registration INCLUDES a full 4-day pass to the festival

This program is designed for students who are experienced bowed string musicians in middle school, high school, and college. Students will participate in a full weekend of clinics and performances which includes rehearsals and Q & As with our collaborative artists, workshops with our WGYO Faculty, sectionals, lunch, and dinner. This year we are thrilled to be collaborating with  The Fretless, Hanneke Cassel Trio,  and Bruce Molsky & Brittany Haas.

This is truly a unique opportunity to learn from and perform with extraordinary professional artists. All students are strongly encouraged to attend as much of the festival as possible when not rehearsing or performing. The chance to work with such distinguished faculty and artists is priceless, but we encourage every student to “pay what they can.” With the 4-day weekend student pass, lunch and dinner, 2026 Festival T-shirt, and general operating costs, the average price per student is $200. Wintergrass is committed to removing all financial barriers for students that want to participate in the orchestra. Again, each student is asked to pay what they can when registering.