# General Mandolin Topics > Jams, Workshops, Camps, Places To Meet Others >  Who's been/going to Swananoa Mando Week?

## mcgroup53

Jeez, you looks at the 2016 instructors - Reischman, Stiernberg, Marshall, Lester, Bibey. How can you beat that? Anyone know who's on tap for 2017?

Any experienced attendees have suggestions, comments on the camp? I think my best friend, who plays banjo and mandolin, are going to sign up.

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## Gary Alter

This summer will be my 6th time at Swannanoa. Most enjoyable music camp I've been to, great instructors, classes are organized well, supportive community of students, incredible concerts, lots of jamming, beautiful campus and even has good food. Best week of the year!

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## Phil Goodson

Many of the same instructors will return this year:  Marshall, Lichtenberg, Stiernberg, Flinner, Reischman, Bibey, ..... plus Compton, and DelGrosso.  I'd say there's a pretty good selection.   
I plan to be there. :Smile:

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## Tim Griffin

I will be at Celtic Week.

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## Steve Sorensen

Excited to be invited to bring some mandolins for Mandolin/Banjo Week!

Steve

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## Marcus CA

Newbie question:  Do the jams tend to be mainly instrumental, mainly songs, or both?  Also, do the instructors organize any of the jams, or are they all "seek and ye shall find"?

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## Jon Hall

Both songs and tunes but the mix depends the type of jams: bluegrass, old time, cajun, irish, swing, etc. During mando week it is seek and find. Tjhe instructors usually in the jams but if you see Mike Marshall and Don Steirnberg cooking on some tune, most of us are better listening and not trying to add anything to what they are playing .

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Astro, 

Marcus CA, 

Toycona

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## Astro

I sat (quietly and not even thinking about reaching for my mando) in awe of Don Steirnberg for about 3 hours as he lead a group of advanced participants through every genre of music known to mankind. He is crazy talented. I had him pigeon holed a bit by what I had seen him do during his NYC acts (on utube not live) but this guy can play anything and has a great sense of rhythm and swing and is HIGHLY entertaining. Go find him in a circle and just watch and enjoy.

The main tents are usually pretty advanced players but hacks like me clump up around sidewalks and stairs and everywhere and you can find somewhere to fit in as much as your heart desires or until the beer takes over.

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Marcus CA, 

Toycona

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## Mark Wilson

Isn't this banjo week also?  What is the ratio of banjo/mandolin in the jams?

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## Marcus CA

The Mando/Banjo/Fiddle Week was OUTSTANDING!!!  I'm still getting lousy sleep because I have so much music and so many experiences running through my head.

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Toycona

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## Gary Alter

Another outstanding Mando week at the SG. The classes I took were exceptional, both John Reischman and David Surette are inspirational players/teachers, I have enough material to woodshed for at least the next year. Although the jamming in the evening was limited by weather this year there where still some of those drop your jaw moments, I mean how often do you have the chance to listen to Mike Marshall, Matt Flinner, Alex Hargreaves and Matt Combs just tear up tune after tune? Opportunities to do some tasting on some exceptional mandolins, Dan Voight's torch and wire and Phil's Heiden two point are two that come to mind. The joy of being with 200 like minded people who only want to play and talk about music.

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Marcus CA, 

Phil Goodson, 

Toycona

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## Toycona

Swannanoa was an amazing, transformative week. WWC in the hills of Asheville was a great place to be. So much music, good vibes, jams, one of a kind moments...I will be going back!

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Gary Alter, 

Marcus CA

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## Toycona

> Another outstanding Mando week at the SG. The classes I took were exceptional, both John Reischman and David Surette are inspirational players/teachers, I have enough material to woodshed for at least the next year. Although the jamming in the evening was limited by weather this year there where still some of those drop your jaw moments, I mean how often do you have the chance to listen to Mike Marshall, Matt Flinner, Alex Hargreaves and Matt Combs just tear up tune after tune? Opportunities to do some tasting on some exceptional mandolins, Dan Voight's torch and wire and Phil's Heiden two point are two that come to mind. The joy of being with 200 like minded people who only want to play and talk about music.


I was there at the 'wall jam.' Matt Flinner on banjo, playing crazy licks. Mike Marshall adding, filling, punctuating...stellar. Then, Robin Bullock, like a musical green man, emerged from the shadows on mandolin. That was one of those 'one of a kind' moments I just mentioned in my post.

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Gary Alter, 

Marcus CA

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## Prelude

> I was there at the 'wall jam.' Matt Flinner on banjo, playing crazy licks. Mike Marshall adding, filling, punctuating...stellar. Then, Robin Bullock, like a musical green man, emerged from the shadows on mandolin. That was one of those 'one of a kind' moments I just mentioned in my post.


Love those 'wall jams'. I sat in on that one. Sort of. Sitting on the wall at one point it was Flinner, Alex Hargreaves, Mike Marshall, Caterina Marshall, their oldest daughter, then younger daughter (both with bowl backs) and then me, sixth string mandolin (not six strings, but six stringer, like in football). 

I actually learned a lot but sitting there chopping, particularly from the two girls. The younger one intriduced me to the Bavarian Bluegrass style, where you apparently chop on the 1 and 3. Very interesting. And I asked Josephine if she learned a lot about playing mandolin from her parents. She said, "No, I do my own thing." She's got the Marshall attitude down!

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Gary Alter

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