12th Annual MonManCamp

images 2015 from Monroe Mandolin Camp

SEPTEMBER 10-14, 2025

“Ballads, Blues & Breakdowns: Returning to the Roots of Bluegrass”

 

REGISTRATION OPENS FEBRUARY 3, 2025!

Howdy folks!  We at MMC are getting ready to put on the 12th Annual Monroe Mandolin Camp and looking forward to getting into the fray. It’s been quite a run of camps over the last nearly dozen years with many variations all geared with the same goal in mind and that is to pay tribute to the iconic musical art form Bill Monroe envisioned and refine over the course of one of the longest celebrated and influential musical career  of any artist in the world. You would be hard-pressed to find another genre of artistic expression that has reached out and touched as many people and places on Earth and we are happy to continue the pursuit of the traditional bluegrass sound.

MMC has taken on many incarnations over the years with as many variations on Mr. Bill’s theme as we can find and this year we have another group of top-notch instructors and presenters for your enjoyment and education. We have some returning attractions and instructors and some new to MMC and it looks like a good mix for 2025. We’ll be back at the Lake Junaluska Conference Center in North Carolina this time and for those who’ve been there with us before you know it’s a beautiful spot, this time with a fresh coat of paint and more things to do on the grounds.

The theme for 2025 will be “Ballads, Breakdowns and Blues: Returning to the Roots of BlueGrass” and covers pretty much the whole scope of Monroe’s creative output no holds barred. So, there should be ample chance to get better acquainted with a little bit of everything from the early days of the 1940’s up
through Bill’s last recordings with the BlueGrass Boys. The set list is wide open!
We’re happy you’re here and if you’re still undecided, come on anyway.  The more the merrier.  I’m looking forward to playing some good old tunes with ya’ll.
Life is good.
Mike Compton

When you sign-up, you get full access to the following…

  • World Class Instructors who understand the music, culture, folkloric stories, and the traditions that make up original, traditional Bluegrass music.
  • 100-Plus Classes for Mandolin, Fiddle, Banjo, Harmony Singing, Guitar, Upright Bass, Old-Time Mandolin, and Songwriting. You may take classes on any and all instruments—you are not tied down to just one track. If your car is big enough, bring them all! (Fiddle and Banjo classes are structured for the intermediate player level and above.)
  • Special Guests, Presentations, and Activities: This year we are thrilled to announce a very special afternoon presentation with none other than Wayne Henderson, Paul Duff, and Will Kimble. Wayne will be pulling double duty and teaching a few guitar classes as well.
  • 3rd Annual Mando-Tasting: This was such an incredible success last year, we’ll be having another Mando-Tasting this year…where the instructors pick, talk about, and play choose from the mando-candy shop of camper instruments! We are also doing a “Mando Tasting” on Wednesday…where instructors will choose from the smorgasbord of camper instruments, talk about them, and then play them.  It was quite the event last year where there were 30 plus mando’s patiently waiting to be played!
  • Electives: “The Art of the American Mandolin” with Tony Williamson, Coffee Hour w/Bluegrass Boy Mark Hembree, String Changing 101, Student Ensemble Showcase
  • Daily Instructor-Led Jams: Jams are organized into all levels, including novice/beginner, slow, intermediate, fast, and old-time.
  • 2025 MonManCamp Manual Support materials/handouts for every class are bound and pre-printed into a custom bespoke camp manual book. This resource book contains all music tablature, notation, links to instructor tutorial videos, and additional resource materials presented during camp, and includes class schedules, class descriptions, venue maps, etc. (available for purchase)
  • A Night of Monroe’s Bluegrass Classics Instructor Concert
  • Hot catered meals and onsite lodging.  Your the two biggest decisions are which classes to choose, and how much sleep you need!
  • Over $4,000 of Scholarship money to be awarded!
  • Member’s Only Group: Once registered you’ll be invited to join a group for members only. It offers additional community support, and learning opportunities, including zoom gatherings,  and special events with guest artists, discussing various music-related topics.
  • A community of like-minded musicians who are supportive, encouraging, and have a great time together!