Wintergrass jamz youth music Education programs

JAMZ 1

Feb 22 & 23, 2024
9am-noon (Cottonwood)
Feb 24 mini performance at noon

JAMz 1 is a special music experience at Wintergrass with singing, games and songs, tailored for pre-school aged kids.  Listening pieces, dancing, and stories included. Bring a snack and a water bottle for a break.

JAMz 1 is led by Sandy Buchner – a musician, crankie artist, marionette puppeteer,  and  a pre-school and inner city Kodály elementary music teacher in the Seattle area since 1995.  She is also a co-founder of Happy Squirrel Arts. Your 4-6 year olds are introduced to rhythm, movement and playing together.

JAMZ 2

Feb 22 & 23, 2024
9am-4 pm (Regency)

JAMz 2 is a two-day, high energy Wintergrass program for kids teaching bluegrass and folk music.  Everyone starts somewhere. We love beginners! Don’t have an instrument?  Don’t play anything yet?  We’ve got ya covered with guitars, mandolins, fiddles, banjos and even basses.  Or bring your ukulele, recorder, or bongo drums and, definitely bring your voice – whatever you have. 

Led by “Professor Tom” Petersen and a host of talented educators from the PNW, and headlined by multi-instrumentalist and creativity guru Joe Craven, kids will explore their inner and outer reachers of creating, responding, connecting and performance!  They will take part in a musical instrument petting zoo and maybe pick out their favorite things to try.  Students will work in age groups of 2nd to 4th graders and 5th to 7th graders.  All groups will learn a tune or two, learn a dance, form a band, and perform at a closing concert.  (Shy kids don’t have to perform if they don’t want to.)

This year JAMz students will get a taste of Canadian culture and music. All students are provided a video lesson by Mr. Joe (Craven) prior to JAMZ so they can practice a bit at home before they arrive. 

Kids of all skill levels are welcome and grouped with others with similar proficiency.  This ensures maximum success and minimal stress.

JAMZ 3

Saturday, Feb 24, 2024
8:30am to 8pm (Auditorium)

Songwriting. Sound production. Stage craft. Performance. All this is packed into a full day with director Ailisa Newhall, a team of carefully curated knowledge-bearers/ mentors and members of the Wintergrass production team. Go backstage. Get to know a soundboard. Write with a professional performer and your peers.

Ailisa is currently the Kirkland Performing Arts Outreach Director, is a busy songwriter, leads community choirs and ensembles and just generally wears way too many hats. She’s a Grammy nominated music teacher of the year. She’s inspiring. If you are an aspiring songwriting, you want to be here. Write a song. Perform it! You’ve got this!