Handmade Music School Workshops offer unique learning experiences in music or dance with master teachers at the Floyd Country Store. The workshops are timely, engaging, and dynamic sessions targeted to serve participants with varied interests and goals. Register today for a shorter 1-2 hour workshop, an all-day learning experience, or a multi-day camp!
Upcoming Workshops & Events
Events List Navigation
On the fourth Sunday of every month, prior to the Old-Time Jam, the Handmade Music School hosts the Youth Old-Time Jam on The Floyd Country Store stage! Geared toward youths under 16, this is a chance for young musicians to gather and play their repertoire at an accessible speed. Led by Mac Traynham and friends! All are welcome. Admission is free.
Find out more
The Handmade Music School presents Music Licensing for Venues & Performers: What You Need to Know on Thursday, June 28, 2018 from 6:00-8:00pm. This is a free event with guest presenter Justin Laughter. This program will teach attendees the basics of song and sound recording law ownership and licensing, including, mechanical licenses (cover songs), public performance licenses (venues/PROs), and synchronization/master use licenses (video).
Find out moreOn the fourth Sunday of every month, prior to the Old-Time Jam, the Handmade Music School hosts the Youth Old-Time Jam on The Floyd Country Store stage! Geared toward youths under 16, this is a chance for young musicians to gather and play their repertoire at an accessible speed. Led by Mac Traynham and friends! All are welcome. Admission is free.
Find out moreOn the fourth Sunday of every month, prior to the Old-Time Jam, the Handmade Music School hosts the Youth Old-Time Jam on The Floyd Country Store stage! Geared toward youths under 16, this is a chance for young musicians to gather and play their repertoire at an accessible speed. Led by Mac Traynham and friends! All are welcome. Admission is free.
Find out more
Join us on Saturday, September 1, 2018 from 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm for an Introduction to Improvisation in Bluegrass (Guitar & Mandolin) with Abe Goorskey and Scott Patrick. Abe Goorskey and Scott Patrick will provide a brief introduction of how improvisation applies to bluegrass music and show you how to incorporate improvisational playing into your song repertoire. Using mandolin and guitar, Scott and Abe will discuss melodic and improvised approaches to songs and tunes, and how to use both approaches with ease.
Find out more
The Handmade Music School presents an intensive clawhammer banjo workshop with Adam Hurt: Introduction To The Sandy River Belle Tuning on Thursday, September 13 from 5:30-8:00pm. Cost is $40.00.
Find out more
The Handmade Music School presents a special fiddle workshop with Eddie Bond on Saturday, September 15, 2018 from 3:00-5:00pm. Learn fiddle in the old-time way, phrase by phrase from with one of the most respected fiddlers in the Blue Ridge Mountain region. Eddie will teach Roundpeak/Galax style tunes with attention to bowing. Eddie Bond grew up in Fries, Virginia, where the fiddle and banjo are still welded in a Virginia dance tradition. Eddie is the fiddler and lead singer in the New Ballards Branch Bogtrotters, and is the winner of many fiddle contests, including the Galax Old Fiddlers’ Convention.
Find out moreOn the fourth Sunday of every month, prior to the Old-Time Jam, the Handmade Music School hosts the Youth Old-Time Jam on The Floyd Country Store stage! Geared toward youths under 16, this is a chance for young musicians to gather and play their repertoire at an accessible speed. Led by Mac Traynham and friends! All are welcome. Admission is free.
Find out more
The Handmade Music School presents a flatfoot dance workshop on Saturday, October 27, 2018 from 5:00-6:00pm with Martha Spencer from the family-based Whitetop Mountain Band & Larry Sigmon & Martha Spencer. Martha has just come out with a Flatfoot Dancing for Beginners DVD and will be sharing her easy to learn method, with each step broken down, slow and fast. The workshop will also feature a brief history of the dance traditions from Southwest Virginia.
Find out moreOn the fourth Sunday of every month, prior to the Old-Time Jam, the Handmade Music School hosts the Youth Old-Time Jam on The Floyd Country Store stage! Geared toward youths under 16, this is a chance for young musicians to gather and play their repertoire at an accessible speed. Led by Mac Traynham and friends! All are welcome. Admission is free.
Find out more
The Handmade Music School presents an intermediate/advanced guitar workshop with Trevor McKenzie - All About Those Bass (Runs) on Saturday, November 3, 2018 from 3:00-5:00pm. This workshop will focus on developing thundering bass runs and driving rhythm on guitar in a string band setting, behind fiddle/banjo, and singing. We will take inspiration from elder string band and solo guitar players from the southwest Virginia/western North Carolina area. Attention will be paid to placing bass runs around tune melodies and using the guitar to provide a steady rhythm as well as drive/interplay with other instruments. Teaching will be predominantly by ear, however, recording is encouraged and time will be taken to break down runs and melodies.
Find out moreOn the fourth Sunday of every month, prior to the Old-Time Jam, the Handmade Music School hosts the Youth Old-Time Jam on The Floyd Country Store stage! Geared toward youths under 16, this is a chance for young musicians to gather and play their repertoire at an accessible speed. Led by Mac Traynham and friends! All are welcome. Admission is free.
Find out more