Mission Statement

Preserving and Promoting the Music and Cultural Heritage of Authentic First Generation Bluegrass

Committed to building community from around the world, as well as forging platforms and connections for the next generation of musicians, the MonManCamp presents programs that ensure the continuation of this truly original and powerful American art form called Bluegrass Music. At MMC, our missions are to:

  • Preserve the music created and recorded by Bill Monroe
  • Use the transformative power of music to foster relationships while building communities worldwide
  • Educate contemporary music enthusiasts about fundamental building blocks, stylistic elements, and techniques that are unique to this music
  • Present a curriculum that forwards an understanding of the players and culture that created Bluegrass music
  • Cultivating:
  1. Creativity through collaboration;
  2. Self-Compassion & Resilient Spirit:letting go of perfectionism and taking a journey based upon one note, one tune, or one song at a time;
  3. Brain Development via self-assessment, critical thinking skills, engagement of non-verbal brain activities for fine motor skills, mathematical reasoning (via chord progressions, rhythm, melodic intervals, etc.)
  4. Folklore or the traditional beliefs, customs, and stories of a community passed through the generations by word of mouth
  5. Connection:
    • via facilitating cross-generational gatherings and one generation passing it down to the next;
    • laughter and joy through music;
    • continuation and longevity of this music by growing the branches of future players and appreciators;
    • using the stories and roots of bluegrass music with all of its rich history, context, narratives of hardships, triumphs, and musical history to demonstrate our connectedness and similarities

Mission Statement

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Preserving and Promoting the Music and Cultural Heritage of

Authentic First Generational Bluegrass

Committed to building community from around the world, as well as forging platforms and connections for the next generation of musicians, the MonManCamp presents programs that ensure the continuation of original and powerful American music as created by the “Father of Bluegrass Music”, Bill Monroe.  At MMC, our missions are to:

  • Preserve the music created and recorded by Bill Monroe
  • Use the transformative power of music to foster relationships while building communities worldwide
  • Educate contemporary music enthusiasts about fundamental building blocks, stylistic elements, and techniques that are unique to this music
  • Present a curriculum that forwards an understanding of the players and culture that created Bluegrass music

Additional benefits of our programs include:

  • Cultivating Creativity through collaboration;
  • Cultivating Self-Compassion & a Resilient Spirit by encouraging participants in letting go of perfectionism and taking a journey based upon one note, one tune, or one song at a time;
  • Cultivating Brain Development via self-assessment, critical thinking skills, engagement of non-verbal brain activities for fine motor skills, mathematical reasoning (via chord progressions, rhythm, melodic intervals, etc.);
  • Cultivating folklore, or the traditional beliefs, customs, and stories of this bluegrass community passed through the generations by word of mouth;
  • Cultivating Connection via:
    • facilitating cross-generational gatherings and one generation passing it down to the next;
    • laughter and joy through music;
    • continuation and longevity of this music by growing the branches of future players and appreciators;
    • using the stories and roots of bluegrass music with all of its rich history, context, narratives of hardships, triumphs, and musical history to demonstrate our connectedness and shared similarities.

 

Music – the universal language of mankind.

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Scholarships

  • MANDOLIN Video Competition: Video Submission between February 1-15. Winner announced February 28, 2020.
  • BANJO Video Competition: Video Submission between
    March 1 – March 15 Winner Announced April 1, 2020.
  • FIDDLE Video Competition: Video Submission between
    April 1- April 15. (New Dates): Winner announced April 30, 2020.
  • NEW for 2020! GUITAR Video Competition: Video Submission
    April 15 – April 30, 2020. Winner announced May 15, 2020.

COMPETITION RULES

  • Music submitted must be a Bill Monroe tune or instrumental.
  • Submissions open to candidates of any age.
  • Participants to write a 500 word essay on their musical pursuits, why they are interested in Monroe’s prolific music and their goals in attending this camp.
  • Video must remain under 4 minutes.
  • Announce your name and song title on the video. You may play solo or with accompaniment-just make sure video camera is pointing on person submitting video. Please make sure we can see both left and right hands!
  • A maximum of 25 submissions accepted (you will receive an email with confirmation if your video is accepted.)
  • Upload video to YouTube, and email the link to: monroemandolincamp@gmail.com . In subject line of email, please write “2020 (Insert Instrument ) MonManCamp Video Scholarship Competition.”
  • The winner of each Video Scholarship Competition to be awarded a full tuition scholarship including camp T-shirt.
  • Transportation, meals and lodging are separate and not included in the award, and the responsibility of the winner.
  • Winning video may be used in promotional materials.
  • Entries will be judged on 4 categories including: Authenticity, Execution, Difficulty, and Technique.
  • Previous Video Scholarship winners are not eligible for consecutive years on the same instrument.
  • Video Scholarship Winners are limited to instrument classes for whicht they won the scholarship.

Skill Levels

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Every year we’re asked, “what skill level am I?” Most folks have a fairly good idea of their level, if they’re being honest. And many who are early into their musical journey rate themselves lower than they actually are. At MMC, during each class period, we offer classes at all levels, so there is always a class for everyone! We classify levels as ALL=for campers of any level, BEG=Beginner/Novice, BEG-INT=Beginner-Intermediate, INT=Intermediate, INT-ADV=Intermediate-Advanced, ADV=Advanced. That said, here are a few rough guidelines to follow.

BEGINNER/NOVICE

This level starts when you’ve figured out that that thing your uncle had stored in the attic is not a ukulele, but a taterbug mandolin.
Players should be able to:

  • Tune by ear or with tuner
  • Know the names of the strings
  • Have a basic idea of the right hand pick grip
  • Know how to play and move somewhat easily between several chords in first position.
  • Be able to strum along to slow jams in the keys of G, C, D and A.
  • Be able to play alternating strokes (tremolo) and downstrokes at slower tempos with reasonable competence
  • No knowledge of how to read tab/notation is necessary at this point, but would be helpful.
  • If you are a novice or beginner, we are also able to pair you with a MMC Ambassador-someone who will show you the ropes and help you feel comfortable in jams and classes. 

INTERMEDIATE

A lot of us fit into this category.
Players should be able to:

  • Tune. This pursuit never ends. It’s a mandolin/fiddle/banjo/guitar/bass, remember? As Tim O’Brien says, the mandolin is Italian for “out of tune”.
  • Have a much higher proficiency with the pick
  • Be able to play with some fluency in the keys of B, Bb, E and F as well as the rest
  • Have developed an ability to play basic improvisations on familiar tunes/songs and transpose up/down the fingerboard
  • Be able to use tremolo and downstrokes at medium tempos with relative ease
  • Have a working repertoire of at least a couple dozen tunes/songs
  • Have a good knowledge of how to play full bluegrass “chop” chords in 1st and 3rd positions
  • Be able to play simple melodies by ear
  • Recognize chord changes

ADVANCED

If you’re at this level you’re probably teaching at camp, or out playing gigs. What does your schedule look like for 2022?
Players should be able to:

  • Play at most tempos comfortably
  • Have a solid theoretical understanding
  • Be able to improvise in major and minor keys with relative ease
  • Play a large repertoire of tunes/songs
  • Be striving for higher technical proficiency and tonal excellence
  • Tune. Nah. It’ll never happen. Don’t kid yourself.
  • Jam comfortably with other competent musicians on a wide variety of material
  • Should have firm ideas about how the style you’ve chosen fits together and have developed creative ideas of your own

Okay, These guidelines are pretty commonly recognized, so I hope this helps you sort it out. Next time someone asks you what skill level you are, you say, “Genius, Thanks”.

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