Berklee College of Music & Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival
Collaborate on Educational Workshop
Saturday, July 17, 2010

Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival is pleased to announce the upcoming educational workshop presented by Berklee College of Music. The workshop will focus on the college's relatively new American Roots Music Program. Faculty member, David Hollender, along with several current students and graduates of Berklee will present a dialogue about the program and will field questions from prospective students, parents and interested participants.

The Berklee-based bands taking part in the workshop are Frankie's Little .44 (including Grey Fox scholarship recipient, Etienne Cremieux); Chasing Blue; and The Upjumpers. 2010 Scholarship winner, Courtney Hartman; Berklee College of Musi Presidential Scholarship recipient, Sierra Hull and Joe Walsh (mandolinist with the Gibson Brothers and former Grey Fox Scholarship winner) will also participate. This presentation will not be all work and no play.... so be prepared to hear some dazzling music!

Here's where to catch the Berklee sound:
All performances are at the Masters Tent.

Friday 7pm: Grey Fox Showcase Café
Frankie's Little .44, Chasing Blue and the Upjumpers
with special guests Sierra Hull & Courtney Hartman

Saturday 11am:  Berklee Roots Music Program Workshop
Frankie's Little .44, Chasing Blue and the Upjumpers
with Sierra Hull, Courtney Hartman and Joe Walsh
Moderated by David Hollender

Saturday 7pm: Grey Fox Showcase Café
Frankie's Little .44, Chasing Blue and the Upjumpers
with special guests Sierra Hull & Courtney Hartman

ABOUT THE AMERICAN ROOTS MUSIC PROGRAM
at Berklee College of Music

 
The artistic validity of a wide range of American roots styles, including blues, gospel, folk, early country music, bluegrass, old-time, cajun,western swing, polka, tex-mex, and others, is beyond dispute. This music is the lifeblood of America’s cultural heritage.  The expressive urgency and depth of these styles is supported by strong fundamental musical values, and it is in recognition of the richness of these idioms, and of the ways that they fuse with contemporary elements, that Berklee has created the  American Roots Music Program.

Among its many projects, the Program produces concerts, hosts visiting artists, designs and implements curriculum, creates and hosts faculty development sessions, and designs and implements symposiums and seminars.  Also, using a broader definition of the term “roots,” the Program examines the core of what it means to be a musician in all idioms, and contemplates the roots of our western musical traditions, ranging from Bach to traditional African music. The Board of Advisors to the Roots Music Program includes: Ricky Skaggs, Bela Fleck, Leo Kottke, Charlie Haden, Edgar Meyer, David Grisman, Andy Statman, Don Rigsby, Lloyd Maines, Liz Carroll, John Blake, Geoff Muldaur, Bruce Molsky,Ted Gioia, Jay Ungar and Molly Mason, Darol Anger, Ray Benson, Doug Wamble, John Lawless, Stuart Duncan, Fletcher Bright, Sara and Sean Watkins and Micheal Doucet. (Others to be announced).

The artistic director for the American Roots Music Program is Matt Glaser, who served as chair of Berklee’s String Department for twenty eight years. For any questions about the Program, please feel free to e-mail Matt Glaser.