Ages 4-7 (or permission from instructor)

Feb 20 & 21, 2025
9am-noon (Evergreen)

Welcome Singers! Having Joyful 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 “Passport to Joy” theme at Wintergrass this year will send JAMz 1 on a joyride  with songs, folkart (we will record a song to put to a crankie using shadow puppets that we make ourselves), stories and singing games! We will explore traditional songs  about  busses,  cars, airplanes, trains – and you get the picture! 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.

 Ages 8-12

Feb 20 & 21, 2025
9am-4pm (Evergreen)

Students aged 7 to 14 and their families are invited to a porch & parlor pickin’ party. In JAMz 2, 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. 

Ages 13-18

Feb 21 & 22, 2025
10am-2pm (Maple)

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.

New this year: we’ll meet for 4 hours each on Friday and Saturday, rather than having one all-day session.  This allows participants to make the most of their complementary weekend festival pass to Wintergrass’ other workshops and world-class performances.

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 22, 2025   9am-5pm (rehearsal, Cedar)
Sunday, Feb 23, 2025 (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 and high school. Students will participate in a day-long orchestra clinic which includes rehearsals Q & As with our collaborative artists, workshops with our WGYO Faculty, sectionals, lunch, and dinner. This year we are thrilled to be collaborating with Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas, American Patchwork Quartet, and The Fretless! The Wintergrass Youth Orchestra is led by Dr. Christopher Hanson and Dr. Renata Bratt. Both Dr. Hanson and Dr. Bratt bring decades of experience as string pedagogues, composers, and performers to the WIntergrass Youth Orchestra.

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 the 4-day weekend student pass ($45), lunch and dinner ($40), and general operating costs, the average price per student is $135. 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. 

We look forward to making music with you as a part of the 2025 Wintergrass Youth Orchestra!