June, 2017
Welcome to the 13th year of Wallowa Fiddle Tunes Camp.
Expect to be challenged musically,
make new friends, and experience new learning
opportunities .
Here are some "basics" for review as preparations for camp
begin;
History of camp
Peter Donovan had attended a similar camp called Kittitas Fiddle Tunes Workshop and
returned inspired to begin a similar model of camp beginning in 2004. Under the organizational
umbrella of Wallowa Valley Music Alliance, Peter built a wonderful, family oriented fiddle camp
in the small Eastern Oregon town of Wallowa, utilizing the generosity of the Wallowa Elementary School and school grounds.
Peter resigned from participation as director of the Fiddle Camp after the 2011 camp, to pursue interests that keep him traveling on the road in his new digs..a home built into a yellow school
bus!
School and facilities Use
The Wallowa School District has requested that we have no alcohol, drugs or firearms on school
property. Dogs are welcomed, but must remain on a leash and cleaned up after ..(you know what!). Quiet hours are 11 PM to 7 AM.
Tent camping on the grassy, school grounds. Dry camping only. No outside fires. Cars
are to be parked along street, near tent area.
Tent area surrounds school playground. Do not camp near this location if you don’t want
to hear the sound of children playing or the sound of basket balls. Early AM log trucks
are also part of tent community life.
RV camping on the gravel parking areas at front and back of school.
School bathrooms available 24 hours per day.
School Showers available 6-9AM and 6-11PM
Drinking water available via outside spigot or bathroom faucets.
Cooled commons area (Beth Johnson Room) available inside school building for
lunches, camp meetings and activities.
Town of Wallowa has a library, grocery store, air conditioned senior center, and several
restaurants.
WIFI available through school system
Cell phone service normally good
Camp highlights
Camp director, Carla Arnold has been involved with the camp as a fiddle and guitar instructor
since the first year, 2005. The camp staff has decided to continue to collaborate and
incorporate new ideas:
1. Sunday evening concert – Introduce the class instructors and enjoy "sound bites" of their
playing.
2. Add a full time "dance master" to teach buck dancing (Appalachian clogging) as well as
waltz techniques and community dance basics.
3. Offer an array of daily afternoon electives based on student and instructor interests.
4. Give campers a rest on Wednesday afternoon (after 2:30 PM) and an opportunity to explore
beautiful Wallowa County, practice alone, or with new friends, as well as jam with others or take a LONG nap.
Camp meals and snacks
A catered lunch is optional and is not included in the cost of tuition. If this option appeals to you,
please sign up on our online camp registration found at wvmusicalliance.org.
Beth Gibans of Backyard Gardens will return as our caterer this year. Beth is a strong supporter of what
our camp is about; bringing friends and families together to stretch and grow in musical traditions.
Beth will be providing a daily lunch (Monday through Friday) and an afternoon snack. If you
choose to participate in a snack, please make an additional financial contribution to a donation
jar. A nutritious, daily lunch is provided for a list of campers that have prepaid a $62 lunch fee as part of their registration.
Backyard Gardens Produce & Catering
c/o Beth Gibans PO Box 463, Joseph, Oregon 97846
Camp volunteers and chore list
A big thank you to many campers that pitch in to help keep this camp running smoothly, from
moving furniture around in classrooms, replenishing bathroom paper products, helping Beth in the kitchen, running the Open Mic, emptying trash, putting up posters, ...the list is long! Keep
your eyes open for an opportunity to volunteer with the chore list. Sign up form will be available
at camp.
Keeping Cool
Traditionally, the week spent in Wallowa can be very warm. This year (2017) will be the fifth year to utilize an Industrial Porta Cooler in the gym. Students are encouraged to bring electric fans to
use in the classroom. Please be sure to label your fan, and take it home at the end of camp.
The school shower room is available in the morning and evening. Sometimes the water
temperature is on the cooler side and will be appreciated in a different way during extreme hot
weather.
Camp Evaluation
A short evaluation will be made available at the end of the week. We are always looking for
ideas to consider in keeping this camp tradition alive and fresh.
Pre-deposit for next year's camp
A $50.00, post dated check (January, 2018) will hold you a class spot for next year's camp, which will be held July 8-13, 2018.
There is a simple form to fill out and attach to your check on the last day of camp. Forms will be
made available at the main information table in the multi- purpose room.
I look forward to another week of music and memories! See you soon!
Sincerely,
Carla
Carla Arnold
Wallowa Fiddle Tunes Camp Director
5417862080
WFTC 2017-ScheduleGrid - Sheet1
16/16/2017 14:34:08
Wallowa Fiddle Tunes Camp 2017 Schedule
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri
8:00 AM Coffee Coffee Coffee Coffee Coffee
8:15 AM Buck Dancing Buck Dancing Buck Dancing Buck Dancing Buck Dancing
8:45 AM Camper Meeting Camper Meeting Camper Meeting Camper Meeting Camper Meeting
9:00 AM Morning Classes Morning Classes Morning Classes Morning Classes Morning Classes
10:15 AM Mid-morning break Mid-morning break Mid-morning break Mid-morning break Mid-morning break
10:30 AM Morning Classes Morning Classes Morning Classes Morning Classes Student Show-N-Tell
Noon Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch Brown Bag Lunch
1:15 PM Band Lab Experience
Beginning Guitar Band Lab
Experience
Beginning Guitar Band Lab
Experience
Beginning Guitar
and Basic Fiddle
and Basic Fiddle
and Basic Fiddle Goodbyes
2:15 PM Free Time
2:30 PM Electives See schedule Electives See schedule Electives See schedule
3:00 PM
Check in, set up campsite
3:30 PM
Gather at Terminal Gravity Brewing in Enterprise for food,
drink and jamming
4:30 PM
5:30 PM
Free Time Free Time Faculty performs at Courthouse Concert in Enterprise - Get on
the bus!
6:00 PM
6:30 PM Welcome
7:00 PMInstructor Concert Open Mic Community Dance
8:00 PMCommunity Dance Community Dance
9:00 PM Campsite Jams Campsite Jams-see schedule Campsite Jams-see schedule Campsite Jams Campsite Jams-see schedule
11:00 PM Music Curfew Music Curfew Music CurfewMusic Curfew extended to midnight
FAQ
Is this camp for children or adults? This camp is for musicians, singers, community dancers, and fans of traditional American Root music. Classes are geared for adult attention spans, but campers of all ages are welcome as long as they are into the music and can stay focussed during class. Out of 120 students, there may be between 20 and 30 kids. We encourage kids to attend to keep this music alive and propelled into the future. This is a family friendly. multi-generational camp! We also have on-site a program specifically designed for young campers, which is taught by Mark and Lea Emerson, music educators from LaGrande, Oregon. This is a program designed for kids age 10 and under and is operated from 9-noon daily. It is less intensive, and designed for a younger attention span. Is this an Old-time Fiddle Camp? This camp offers a variety of genres; old time, swing, bluegrass, Irish, Southern, and more. Instructors rotate every few years to open up possibilities for new instructors and new genres.
How many people attend? Typically we have about 100-120 campers, 12 staff members, and half a dozen instructional assistants. Can I bring family? Yes. If they are not signed up for music camp, they should not attend classes, unless they make arrangements to do so. They are welcome to attend evening events. If your family includes young children, as mentioned above, please consider the morning music classes as a fun and musical experience. Cost of this program is $60 per child for the five days. Please register online at emersonmusicarts.com Can my child attend alone? No. All minors (under 19) need to be accompanied by an adult guardian (not necessarily a parent) who is responsible for them. Can I bring my pets? Friendly dogs are welcome on a leash. Be sure to clean up after them. Can I attend classes for more than one instrument? Not in the morning classes. Class sizes need to retain their size so that instructors get to know their students and build each day on what was worked on in the previous day. All other times (afternoon electives and jams) you can participate on any string instruments
you want. For example; if you are in a fiddle class in the morning, but want to take an afternoon elective using your mandolin, and play banjo in an evening jam….go for it! Are there classes for ukulele, autoharp, or dulcimer? Are there beginner classes for every instrument? We try to rotate the beginning instrument classes. Fiddle is not well suited for a beginning level instruction in a week’s camp setting. How many people are there in each class? The morning classes, which are signed up in advance may have between 15 and 20, although it may vary. Afternoon class sizes will vary.
Registration Can I come for (and pay for) just part of the camp? This camp is designed for full-time attendance. Modifications may be considered on a case to case basis. If I come just to hang out and jam, I don’t have to pay or register, right? Wrong. This is a privately run camp on a school owned property. All guests need to
register and pay. Exceptions may be made at the director’s discretion. Can I sign up by phone and/or pay with a credit card? You can call for help if you’re having trouble with the registration system and we’ll help you sign up. And yes, you can pay by credit card. I want to sign up for camp now, but don’t have all the money together yet. Will you take a deposit? Yes, you can make a deposit to hold your place, but please include a note specifying when you will pay the balance. A late fee of $50 may be added if tuition is not paid in full by June 1st. (The late fee can be waived at the director’s discretion for those on tight budgets who need more time). I want to sign up for camp, but may have to cancel. What’s your refund policy? If you’re not sure you’ll be able to come, the best thing to do is sign up with a deposit of an amount that you are willing to donate to the scholarship fund if you can’t make it. That holds your place in the class, but still makes it easy for everyone if you have to cancel. If you are a “no-show” (those who don’t show up at camp, and don’t communicate that they’re not coming) do NOT receive
a refund. If you are not there by 9 AM Monday morning and haven’t gotten in touch to explain why, you forfeit your spot, and your registration fee. (Exceptions may be made for hardship cases.) Cancellation policy: Cancellations received on or before June 15, 2017 will receive a 50% refund. After that date no refund is given. I want to come, but I can’t afford it. Can I get a scholarship? Are work trades available? Yes, and yes. The 50% scholarships are intended for young people- kids, students, or other young adults with limited funds. There are also a few full scholarships available. These are intended for very low-income young people who are devoted to their music. If this sounds like you, your child, or someone you know, please call 541-663-0776 to apply. Scholarship recipients, or their parents, are asked to help out at camp with a camp chore or two (there are many to choose from). The scholarship program is made possible largely through the donations of generous campers who pay a
little (or in some cases, a lot!) extra to help fund it. Many, many, many thanks to all those generous people! Work trades: This option is intended for adults who truly can't afford the fees to come to camp. If this applies to you, and you have something of value to offer, call to discuss partial reduction of fees in exchange. Some things that could be needed: graphic design, IT support or general computer help, publicity of all kinds (internet, radio, fliers at events, etc), massage, yoga, art, T-shirt production, cleaning, carpentry, goods, etc. I signed up for camp but never heard if I made it into my class. Am I registered? Don’t assume you’re registered for camp unless you received confirmation. All applicants are contacted when they sign up, usually by e-mail, and receive confirmation of their registration, or notification that they're on a waiting list. Please wait one week from when you sign up, and then if you haven’t heard anything, there was a communications failure and you should get in touch to find out if you’re registered or on a waiting list.
Meals How are meals handled? Many folks like to come prepared to make meals at their campsite. Others may feel they can afford the time to purchase a meal at one of several restaurants within a two block walk. The onsite catered lunch has been a “hit” with many campers. Beth Gibans charges $62 for five lunches, eaten in the comfortably cool cafeteria. The catered meal option can be purchased as part of registration. If you choose to participate in the catered lunch, you'll be glad you did--the food is really good, and eating with everyone in the dining hall is a fun part of the camp experience. Can you accommodate vegetarian, vegan, food allergies, & special dietary needs? You can sign up for vegetarian meals, and we can meet other common dietary needs if you let us know in advance (food allergies, vegan, etc) when you register. What if I want some vegetarian and some meat meals? You have to sign up for one or the other. BUT, at the
end of the meal, after everyone has been served, it's OK to go through the line again to sample the veggie food if you signed up as an omnivore, or vice versa, if there's extra left. "After everyone has been served" are the key words here, like wait at least half an hour after meal time began. Camping Are there RV hook-ups? RV’s are welcome to camp in the graveled school parking lot. There are additional RV and campsites available within a few blocks to a couple of miles from the school. Check www.wallowacounty.org/categories/rv_parks_camping.php What’s the weather like in July for camping? Usually July is a beautiful, but sometimes HOT month in the Wallowa district of NE Oregon. Days are generally warm (in the 70s and 80’s), while nights can be a little chilly (in the 40s). But thunderstorms and rain are possible -- it's always a good idea to check the weather forecast and prepare accordingly.
There are plenty of indoor rooms for evening jamming -- if you're dry and warm enough in your tent to sleep, that's all you really need to do there. Lodging How about nearby lodging and restaurants? Wallowa Elementary School is located in the center of the town of Wallowa. There are a variety of eating establishments within walking distance of the school. The Mingo Motel ((541-856-2021) is located 1 block from the school site and often gets booked up a year in advance. However, there are several motels within driving distance. Please consult Wallowa Valley Chamber of Commerce for a list of available lodging. www.wallowacountychamber.com, or 541-886-2422. Is there WiFi internet on site? Yes. Is there cell reception? Yes. Mostly reliable.
Getting to Camp Can you help me find (or offer) a ride to camp? Carpooling is in! If you are interested in sharing a ride to camp, indicate that when you register and you’ll be put you in contact with any others from your area who are also interested in carpooling. Ditto if you can give someone a ride. How early can I arrive? You can arrive anytime after 3:00 p.m. on Sunday. I can’t get there in time for registration; can I arrive late? Yes. On Sunday, after check-in, the evening orientation and program starts at 6:30 PM. If you arrive late Sunday night, you will miss staff introductions and some fun first-night activities, but you’ll still be on time for your morning class (which starts 9:00 a.m. Monday). You can also arrive early Monday morning. Regardless of when you arrive, you need to check in and register when you get there.
Staff Will the staff stay up late and jam with us? Many of the teacher’s assistants will. A few of the instructors might also, but most of them are pretty fried by the end of the day and need some down time to be off duty and rested for the next day. There will be some instructor-led evening jams scheduled. Can I be a teacher’s assistant on the volunteer staff? Volunteers serve as teacher assistants in the morning classes and help run the camp in many other ways. If you’re interested in doing this, you should know about what’s involved. First of all, your motive should be to help run the camp (as opposed to “getting in free”). Everyone at camp, staff and students alike, has time to have fun, but if you’re on staff it is hoped that you’re sincerely interested in doing what you can to help make the camp be all it can be for the students. Secondly, since most of our volunteers serve as teaching assistants, you should be fairly proficient on at least one instrument, or preferably two, (and/or be
a good singer), and be interested in, or better yet have some experience in, teaching or helping teach. To this end, it helps to have at least one reference from someone the director knows and trusts, like for example any of the instructors she’s worked with in the past. You should like to work! as there is plenty of work involved in running the camp. Some of it is fun (playing music for the buck dancing class, working with an admired instructor in the morning classes, etc) and some of it is just plain work (moving chairs around, staffing the registration table, running errands, etc). A good attitude about working in general is definitely an essential component to being a desirable camp volunteer. Then there are certain skills or attributes that are definite pluses. For example, help is always needed with publicity. This involves knowing your way around the internet and being able to find where musicians are likely to discover links to the camp website; chatting it up on Facebook or other similar sites; contacting radio stations, newspapers, newsletters, music teachers, etc; helping make sure we have fliers at bluegrass and oldtime events, etc etc etc. If this is something you’d
be good at and like to do, you would be a very valuable volunteer and since most of this work happens before camp, you wouldn’t be obligated to do as much work at the camp itself. Graphic artists also could provide valuable help, and people who are good with computers in general. If some or all of this is sounding like it has your name on it, get in touch and we can talk about it. Contact director Carla Arnold at 541-663-0776 or [email protected] How do I get hired as an instructor? Generally there will be a good number of local teachers hired for each camp, interspersed with some from out of state. Some are nationally known; some less well known but great teachers. Great teachers is the key word(s) here—it’s evident that being a superb performer and being a superb teacher are often two different things. The camp benefits from having great players around, but even more important is people who are good at, and really enjoy, teaching. At the same time, it’s nice to have a certain number of people who are well known in the world of traditional music on staff each year. So these are some of the things that
are considered in making decisions about who to bring to camp. If it sounds like you might fit this description (great player/performer, fantastic teacher, working in the field and somewhat well-known), get in touch and we’ll talk. Contact director Carla Arnold at 541-663-0776 or [email protected]
Dear Wallowa Fiddle Tunes Campers, We are looking forward to a great week at camp, and are so pleased that you could join us. Each year, we ask for volunteers to help us with tasks around the camp. This allows us to maintain a pleasant camp environment and keep costs low for you, and is also a wonderful way to meet new friends. We are looking for volunteers to assist with meal preparation (kitchen shifts) and clean up (dishwashing shifts). We need two volunteers for each shift every day. Shifts are 2 hours long. This is a great volunteer opportunity for individuals who are not signed up for instructional sessions, such as students’ family members or chaperones. In return for your time, you will receive one FREE lunch on the day that you volunteer! Thank you for considering becoming a kitchen volunteer. Our camp would not be possible without your generosity! Upon arrival at camp, please sign up for a shift: Write your name in any blank space below. Please make a note of the day and time, and plan to be 5 minutes early..
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
KITCHEN SHIFTS
9 AM - 11 AM 1.)
2.)
11 AM - 1 PM 1.)
2.)
DISHWASHING SHIFTS
10 AM - 12 PM 1.)
2.)
12 PM - 2 PM 1.)
2.)
WFTC 2017: Afternoon Electives and Activities
1:15 - 2:15 PM 2:30 - 3:30 PM 3:45 - 4:30 PM 7:00 - 9:00 PM 9:00 PM - ??
Rm 1DADGAD guitar, part 1
Stuart Mason
Rm 2Beginning Guitar: Final hour of
class
Duane Boyer
Intro to bluegrass banjo, part 1
Duane Boyer
Rm 3Band Lab - Irish
John Weed & Larry Dickerson
Fiddle: Learn an Irish tune
(intermediate)
John Weed
Instructor-led Irish jam
Rm 4Guitar: Learn a cool tune
Matt Bell
Rm 5Basic Fiddle: Final hour of class
Loralyn Staples
Fiddle Technique: Vibrato
Loralyn StaplesInstructor-led slow jam
Rm 6Band Lab - Swing
Andy Emert & Matt Bell
Intro to mandolin, part 1
Andy EmertInstructor-led Swing jam
Rm 7Intro to upright bass, part 1
Alan Feves
Rm 8Band Lab - Cajun
Lisa Ornstein & Jon St. Hilaire
Fiddle: Intro to Southern (easy)
Lisa Ornstein
Intro to clawhammer banjo,
part 1
Vern Marr Instructor-led Cajun jam
Rm 9Jam etiquette (all instruments)
Jonah Shue
Rm 10Band Lab - Bluegrass
Eric Jepsen & Jonah Shue
Fiddle: Learn a bluegrass tune
(advanced) Eric Jepsen
Church
next door
Contra Dance Band
Ken Pollard
BJR
(Cafeteria)
Cajun Waltz 2-step
Robyn Stedfeld
TBDIntro to Sword Dance
Larry Smith
TBDHula hoop
Lucy Gilchrist
TBDSing fun songs
Ron Emmons
MO
ND
AY
OP
EN M
IC N
IGH
T (B
JR)
WFTC 2017: Afternoon Electives and Activities
1:15 - 2:15 PM 2:30 - 3:30 PM 3:45 - 4:30 PM 7:00 - 9:00 PM 9:00 PM - ??
Rm 1DADGAD guitar, part 2
Stuart Mason
Rm 2Beginning Guitar: Final hour of
class
Duane Boyer
Intro to bluegrass banjo, part 2
Duane Boyer
Rm 3Band Lab - Irish
John Weed & Larry Dickerson
Fiddle: Learn an Irish tune
(advanced)
John Weed
Rm 4Guitar: Learn a cool tune
Matt Bell
Rm 5Basic Fiddle: Final hour of class
Loralyn Staples
Fiddle Technique: Ear training to
support learning by ear
Loralyn Staples
Rm 6Band Lab - Swing
Andy Emert & Matt Bell
Intro to mandolin, part 2
Andy Emert Instructor-led Swing jam
Rm 7Intro to upright bass, part 2
Alan Feves
Rm 8Band Lab - Cajun
Lisa Ornstein & Jon St. Hilaire
Fiddle: Strategies for developing
nimble fingers
Lisa Ornstein
Intro to clawhammer banjo,
part 2
Vern Marr
Rm 9Guitar: Bluegrass jam with Jonah
Jonah Shue
Rm 10Band Lab - Bluegrass
Eric Jepsen & Jonah Shue
Fiddle: Learn a bluegrass tune
(intermediate)
Eric Jepsen
Intructor-led Bluegrass
jam
Church
next door
Contra Dance Band
Ken Pollard
BJR
(Cafeteria)
Cajun Waltz 2-step
Robyn Stedfeld
TBDIntro to bodhran (Irish drum)
Larry Smith
TBDHula hoop
Lucy Gilchrist
TBDSing fun songs
Ron Emmons
TUES
DA
Y
CA
MP
ER'S
FO
LK D
AN
CE
(BJR
)
WFTC 2017: Afternoon Electives and Activities
1:15 - 2:15 PM 2:30 - 3:30 PM 3:45 - 4:30 PM 8:00 - 10:00 PM 10:00 PM - ??
Rm 1DADGAD guitar, part 3
Stuart Mason
Rm 2Beginning Guitar: Final hour of
class
Duane Boyer
Intro to bluegrass banjo, part 3
Duane Boyer
Rm 3Band Lab - Irish
John Weed & Larry Dickerson
Fiddle: Learn an Irish tune
(intermediate)
John Weed
Instructor-led Irish jam
Rm 4Guitar: Learn a cool tune
Matt Bell
Rm 5Basic Fiddle: Final hour of class
Loralyn Staples
Fiddle Technique: Metronome
training for rhythm
Loralyn Staples
Instructor-led slow jam
Rm 6Band Lab - Swing
Andy Emert & Matt Bell
Intro to mandolin, part 3
Andy Emert
Rm 7Intro to upright bass, part 3
Alan Feves
Rm 8Band Lab - Cajun
Lisa Ornstein & Jon St. Hilaire
Fiddle: Intro to Quebecois (easy)
Lisa Ornstein
Intro to clawhammer banjo,
part 3
Vern Marr
Instructor-led Southern
jam
Rm 9Play a fiddle tune (use any
instrument)
Jonah Shue
Rm 10Band Lab - Bluegrass
Eric Jepsen & Jonah Shue
Fiddle: Learn a bluegrass tune
(advanced)
Eric Jepsen
Instructor-led Bluegrass
jam
Church
next door
Contra Dance Band
Ken Pollard
BJR
(Cafeteria)
Cajun Waltz 2-step
Robyn Stedfeld
TBDIntro to penny whistle
Larry Smith
TBDHula hoop
Lucy Gilchrist
TBDSing fun songs
Ron Emmons
THU
RSD
AY
CO
MM
UN
ITY
FO
LK D
AN
CE
(BJR
)