• Registration Opens for 8th Annual Monroe Mandolin Camp

    8th Annual Monroe Mandolin Camp

    MONTEAGLE, TENN. — Registration is now open for the 8th Annual Monroe Mandolin Camp. Camp takes place September 15-19, 2021 at the DuBose Conference Center in Monteagle with classes in all the quintessential bluegrass band instruments.

    Monroe Mandolin Camp offers over 100 classes in mandolin, fiddle, banjo, bass, guitar and vocal harmony singing taught by today's leading masters. Novice, Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced level classes offer something for players of every ability level.

    New this year are a special roundtable/Q&A discussion led by musical bluegrass legends Norman and Nancy Blake, Master Classes in Band Dynamics and Harmony Singing, a fun afternoon Band Scramble, and an old-fashioned Pig Roast (vegetarian options available, too!).

    Luthiers Will Kimble and Paul Duff provide an on-site instrument repair and set-up shop. Additional afternoon special presentations, daily yoga sessions, individual tutorials, and jamming opportunities abound, making for some pretty special life-long friendships and connections!

    Thanks to special fundraisers and generous sponsors, the 8th Annual Camp is able to offer many scholarships this year. Information about youth, women's, need-based and video scholarship competitions are available on the camp web site. An apprenticeship for those pursuing a career in teaching bluegrass music is also offered.

    Additional Information

    Comments 7 Comments
    1. Southern Man's Avatar
      Southern Man -
      I'd be interested in any folks experience with Monroe Mandolin camp. I am looking to go to a mandolin camp this year or next, depending on pandemic, and this is one that I have heavily considered, being that it is good size, seems to have well respected instructors, and is an easy day's drive.
    1. Phil Sussman's Avatar
      Phil Sussman -
      Monroe Mandolin camp is highly recommended. If you are interested in total immersion in Monroe style mandolin, this is the place to be. The instructors are great, and the camp and the classes are well organized. I've been to four of them over the years, and each has been a wonderful experience. (That doesn't mean I can play Monroe style very well, but I'm working on it.) One of the best parts of this camp is jamming at night and listening to all the students who really know the music well, and play a lot of lesser-known Monroe tunes. And listening to the teachers jam is always cool. You also come away with a thick book of tablature/notation with enough material to work on for years. I've taken classes with all the mandolin teachers on the list (except Silas, it's his first visit as a teacher, but he will knock your socks off too.) The faculty concerts over the years have been extraordinary. People attend from all over the world. There are classes for all levels of player, and on a variety of Bluegrass instruments, but I wouldn't recommend it for an absolute beginner. You will not be disappointed. And you will make a lot of new friends who play the mandolin.
    1. Southern Man's Avatar
      Southern Man -
      Thanks for your perspective. I've been playing about three years, have taken a variety of courses, in person and online. I still consider myself a sort of advanced-beginner.

      I guess my hesitation on this particular one is that I play bluegrass, but I am mostly interested in progressive bluegrass, plus some rock and jam. I don't mind playing traditional bluegrass, lord knows I haven't mastered any of that yet, either, but I do wonder if I would be better served by a different camp. I've looked at the one in Indiana with Jim Ricter and Don Julin. It's a little farther away from me in Virginia, but might be a better fit musically. I'm not sure if they have quite the breadth of classes/levels.

      These are all plusses and minuses I am turning over in my mind.
    1. Don Grieser's Avatar
      Don Grieser -
      You could certainly learn a lot about the foundation of all the progressive styles by learning some Monroe. Sam Bush and Andy Statman can play a lot of Monroe solos/tunes note for note--hasn't hurt them.

      This camp is extremely well-organized. Everything is thought out and planned. Really well run--just an amazing job by Heidi and Mike.

      I hadn't been to a camp for many years and attended Monroe Camp 2 years ago. I'm hooked, but then I play a lot of Monroe style.
    1. sgarrity's Avatar
      sgarrity -
      Norman and Nancy are coming? Time to make the trek back East!
    1. Mandolin Cafe's Avatar
      Mandolin Cafe -
      Quote Originally Posted by Southern Man View Post
      I'd be interested in any folks experience with Monroe Mandolin camp. I am looking to go to a mandolin camp this year or next, depending on pandemic, and this is one that I have heavily considered, being that it is good size, seems to have well respected instructors, and is an easy day's drive.
      Not particularly a reason to consider this camp, but I'll just say the Cafe can pick any mandolin camp it wishes to financially and/or promotionally support and we only do so with those we think are the top of the food chain, and very few at that. This is a special kind of event, a one-of-a-kind and even though the headlines say "8th Annual," Mike oversaw the Monroe camps for the old bluegrass museum for years under their sponsorship prior to letting it go and allowing him to take it on as his own. Our opinion it's in that best of the best type of camp experience.