Greetings! Well, we have finally gotten some activity in this group so I guess I will keep it going for a while anyway. I went to HOTAfest last year and had a great time. If you have never been, be warned this is NOT a bluegrass festival. The emphasis is definitely on folk music. That being said, if you are a folk or old time fan this is your event. It will be held in Titusville, PA, July 13-15. The details are here : http://www.hotafest.com I will be attending on Saturday only, since I am pretty close and it is the busiest day. Maybe we could do some kind of cafe' meet and greet, have lunch together perhaps? Don
From what I can tell from the website, it appears to be "beginner-friendly", would that be a correct assumption? My 10 year old daughter would like to attend and I'd rather her not feel intimidated or overwhelmed (me too for that matter). If we can make it there, I would definitely be up for a meet and greet. Are there any suggestions for first-time attenders?
Friend- can I assume your daughter is playing mandolin? The same mandolin player is there this year as was last year. I took his classes. Very beginner friendly. Any class on the schedule that says "beginner", they really mean it. Some people brought instruments they had literally bought just a few days before and said "What to I do first?". In my opinion, that's expecting a bit too much from a workshop, but if this year is the same as last, beginners are there in large numbers. If you plan on taking more than 4 workshops the all inclusive ticket becomes cost effective; fewer than 4, then it is better to pay for the classes individually. Because it is relatively close for me I will probably just come for the day on Saturday. I would love to meet you and your daughter face to face. Let me know if you are planning to come on the Saturday and we can meet.
I just checked out the workshop schedule for Hotafest, and there is only one mandolin workshop. That one is for absolute beginners, nothing for experienced players. I will probably still go as i play several instruments but I don't think I will go to the mandolin thing. Those of you who are beginners though, may gain something. "Mandolin Basics" is on Saturday. I took it last year even though I wasn't a beginner. Same guy. Pretty good info- he covers reading simple old-time tunes in first position and some 2 finger chords. He give a handout with some tunes, chord charts, and a nice plug for the Cafe'. That cls is Saturday afternoon, see the Web site for the exact time. I don't have it in front of me.
How's the level of jamming Don?
Level of jamming is fairly easy I think. They try to make beginners feel welcome, at least that's the way it seemed to me. I didn't jam last year because I went to a class instead, but I want to jam this year! Remember, NOT bluegrass- mostly folk and old time. Lots of key of D because there are lots of dulcimer players.
Sorry I haven't replied sooner, don't know where the last month went! My daughter and I will be there, Don. How/where can we meet up?
Well, friend, I will be there most of the day Saturday. I am not taking the one mandolin class they are offering because it is very basic beginner stuff and I took it last year from the same guy. I will probably take the intermediate/advanced fiddle course at that same time. But I plan on bringing my mandolin for the jam at 2:15. Maybe we could meet up at the jam tent? I will be easy to recognize. I am a big fellow (300 lb or pretty close to it) and I will be wearing a pretty distinctive wide brimmed olive drab Aussie-style hat. See you at the jam? I don't know what other classes you signed up for but I am doing A-Intro to Ukulele, B- Irish Songs C-Beg. Fiddle, D Int/Adv. Fiddle. I will also be trying to spend some time in between the other stuff at the Instrument Swap Meet that is going on all day, I have a guitar I am hoping to sell. Tell me how I will recognize you, other than the fact you will have a little girl with you carrying a mandolin case!
Don't worry Don, I ain't the smallest guy in the world either... Not sure about any distinctive clothing, but I have short black hair with a short beard to match. I'll be with my mandolin and my daughter will be with her fiddle, which is in a blue case. I'm pretty sure she will also be in the same beginning fiddle session. I'm not sure how cell phone reception is there (I know its basically nonexistent at Cross Creek) but I'll have my cell phone with me and I can PM you my # if you'd like.
I know this is a little late, but I've been running around since my daughter and I got back from HOTAfest. It was a great time. We both had a blast and everyone we met was very friendly. Lot of talent there, along with instruments. It was also a pleasure meeting you and your wife, Don! And by the way, you have one sweet mando there. Hope to get there again next year, perhaps we can get a few more cafe members together to meet up.
Yes, I always have a good time at HOTAfest. It was wonderful meeting you and your daughter as well. We might get more interest from Cafe folks if they would do like i suggested, and get someone to run an intermediate/advanced mandolin session. They had it for the first year in Titusville last year, and when I filled out my evaluation form I asked for an intermediate/advanced session. It didn't happen, and when I filled out the form this year I made the same suggestion and noted that this is the second time I had suggested this with nothing happening. It is beyond me why every other instrument gets an intermediate/advanced session, but not mandolin. Carolyn is not my wife! She is a good friend and a band mate. My wife, Terry, only came to the Friday concert with me because, again for the second year in a row, they had nada for bass players class-wise. I intend to keep on them about offering more for mandolin and if they follow through we must beat the drum for more Cafe' participation!
