Jefferson Hamer Music

Lets start by saying that this week will be your week. You are here to explore music and take some risks, try new things. The teachers are here to guide you on your own musical path. There will be five class periods offered each day as well as free time after lunchand in the late afternoon for swimming, canoeing, kayaking, sailing, fishing, hiking, relaxing... you get the idea. At night we'll schedule dances, slow-jams and other fun stuff, and then we expect the merry-making to continue into the wee hours for anyone who's up for it.

"Morning Mashups" are the two class periods before lunch. You'll choose a group level based on how quickly you learn music by ear (except absolute beginners, who will work with a tutor on their particular instrument). For everyone but the absolute beginners, all instruments will be taking class together, and the instructors will rotate through the groups over the course of the week. You'll get a chance to explore a variety of songs, styles and perspectives on making and creating music. The Mashups are "whole music" periods; you will work on musical concepts as they tie together rather than separated into individual subjects.

After lunch, we'll offer electives at various levels. These will be classes where you choose a subject and stay with that class for a week. Electives could explore song & tune-writing, arrangement, harmony singing, notation, dance, instructor-mentored ensembles, and learning songs & tunes in various traditional & current styles. This is not a guaranteed list of electives! Our staff are extremely diverse and multi-talented, so we're going to develop a class schedule based largely on student interest. Be sure to fill out the interest questionnaire when you sign up.

See a sample SCHEDULE here. (Note: This is not set in stone! We're still working out the details but you'll get the basic idea).

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FAQ

Some answers to your Frequently Asked Questions, like:

Q: "Is this a "folk music" camp?"
Q: "Is this a "trad music" camp?"
Q: "Is this a songwriting camp?"
Q: "I don't sing. Is this camp just for songwriters and singers?"
Q: "What if I don't sing or play an instrument?"
Q: "What if I'm an advanced musician? What will I get out of this?"
Q. "Music isn't my profession but it's been a passionate hobby for years and I'm pretty good. What will I get out of this?"
Q: "What if I have kids?"
Q: "What if I'm a teenager?"
Q. "Why do morning classes have all instruments grouped together?"

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Q: "Is this a "folk music" camp?"
A: Louis Armstrong said "All music is folk music. I ain't never heard no horse sing a song." We agree, and we're going to make a fairly nerdy distinction between "traditional music" and "folk music". Traditional music is old enough that nobody remembers who wrote it – it just lives on in oral tradition. "Folk music" is a more general term that, in our experience, gets used mostly to describe music from the '60s to the present which popularizes old songs or the uses acoustic instruments like banjo or fiddle. People like Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, The Low Anthem, The Avett Brothers, Sufjan Stevens, etc. They get called "folk", but most of these artists are actually best-known for writing their own songs. In a way, this camp is about doing exactly what Dylan, Seeger and others did – taking an initial inspiration from traditional music and then moving on to make their own music. So I guess the short answer to the question is, "yup"!

Q: "Is this a "trad music" camp?"
A: Yes and no. Laura and Kristin got their start playing traditional fiddle tunes and songs, and we are still constantly inspired by the timeless lyrics and rhythmic pulse that draws people instinctively to this music. We wouldn't start a camp that didn't have some connection to traditional music, especially Appalachian "old-time", Scottish, Irish and cajun dance music. There will be cajun dances and square dances among other activites at night, and there will be elective classes and jams for people who want to study that music (banjo, guitar accompaniment, fiddle repertoire, etc.). That said, this is not the camp for a person who wants to learn one specific traditional folk instrument or genre. It is the perfect camp for a person who has some interest or experience with traditional music and wants to explore writing and arranging your own music for at least part of your time this week.

Q: "Is it a songwriting camp?"
A: It can be if you want it to be. Most of the faculty are songwriters as well as instrumentalists. There will be instruction and experimentation with writing both instrumental and vocal melodies as well as writing text for songs. We will offer time for guided writing and sharing of new material everyday. While everybody will experiment with writing or composing something, especially in morning classes, we know that some people will be more interested in learning other people's songs and how to play them; some will want to use this week as a personal songwriting retreat with the added bonus of the opportunity for feedback and inspiration. Both approaches are just fine.

Q: "I don't sing. Is this camp just for songwriters and singers?"
A: Instruments and voices have equal billing. Whether you're most interested in tune writing, tune accompaniment, song accompaniment, instrumental improvisation or just instrumental arrangement and composition within songs there will be classes and instructors to lead you as you explore.

Q: "What if I don't sing or play an instrument?"
A: First, this camp is a fine place to come even if you don't want to play music at all. (For instance, if you're a spouse or a kid of someone who wants to come and play music!). You can swim, kayak, canoe, hike, do yoga, or just sit and listen to the music. Second, if you don't play but you want to start, that's just fine. The morning class periods will have an option for basic instruction on the most common instruments like guitar, banjo, fiddle and other instruments based on interest and our ability to find a teacher for you. Check in with us to discuss if you're an absolute beginner. Afternoon electives will be available for all levels. Just be prepared to be a little over your head sometimes. (That can be inspiring if you approach it in the right way). Note: If you have been meaning to get started on an instrument we do recommend taking a few lessons on that instrument before camp, so you can get the most out of your week with us.

Q: "What if I'm an advanced musician? What will I get out of this?"
A: Come. Think of this as a week-long master class where you get to interact, experiment, study, and even collaborate with other professional musicians who will be on staff and/or attending the camp as students. This island is an ideal getaway for a writer who just wants to spend time in a remote cabin writing new material (in fact, that's how Laura and Kristin found this island in the first place!). We will inspire you and you will no doubt take home some new friendships with your peers in the music scene.

Q. "Music isn't my profession but it's been a passionate hobby for years and I'm pretty good. What will I get out of this?"
A: What a great place to begin your week. Think of this as a week to take your excitement into overdrive in a way that you just don't have time for around the edges of your full-time job (whatever that may be). The new concepts, songs and tunes you will learn will keep you inspired all year. Come with an open mind and fuel your fire or take a journey you didn't expect.

Q: "What if I have kids?"
A: If they're four years old or older, bring them along. If they already play music, we'll place them in the same classes as the adults because our experience shows that young and old musicians have a lot to learn from each other. If they don't play music, we'll find tutors to help them experiment during morning classes. That said, we can't offer all-day "babysitting" for young kids. Your child is welcome wherever you go so long as they're not disrupting class, but you'll be responsible for keeping an eye on them while they're not in music class.

Q: "What if I'm a teenager?"
A: Come along!! If you're under 18, your parents will need to designate a guardian to look after you. This could be a parent or another trusted adult at the camp. We strongly believe that teens are just as well-prepared and have just as much to offer as adults in music class and in the camp in general. We love your energy. There will be other teens at camp to hang out with. Please come!

Q: "Why do morning classes have all instruments grouped together?"
A: First, to clarify, brand new players will be grouped with tutors who know their specific instrument for the first period of the morning. For students who already play an instrument, we're grouping these two morning classes by speed of learning by ear (as opposed to by instrument) and rotating the instructors through the classes so everyone will get a chance to work with each of the instructors at least a few times during the week. The instructors will teach material or give writing assignments based on their own experience and ideas. We've been to camps that work like this and we think it can be a great way for students to experiment and learn from a variety of teachers without having to commit to a whole week of something they're not sure whether they'll like or not. We should also say that if you know you're particularly interested in one instructor's music, you can audit classes outside of your class level to study more with that person, as long as you're prepared to move at the pace intended for that particular class.

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Still interested? Hooray! Email goodtimes@milesofmusiccamp.com for an application & a questionnaire about your musical interests.

Some work/scholarship opportunities are available for those who want to save a little money in exchange for helping us in the kitchen and with other Island chores. Please e-mail for more info.