REGISTRATION OPENS FEBRUARY 10, 2026
“Bluegrass with Heart, Soul, & Grit”
“Blue Grass Special” – Camp Tune this year!
Welcome to the 13th Annual Monroe Mandolin Camp
August 12–16, 2026 | Abingdon, Virginia
We’re delighted to return to the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center for another unforgettable week of music, learning, laughter, and community. Monroe Mandolin Camp offers world-class instruction in mandolin, fiddle, banjo, guitar, bass, harmony singing, and songwriting, all grounded in traditional bluegrass music and the authentic style pioneered by Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys—while joyfully creating space for connection, curiosity, and a shared love of the music.
At MMC, this music is taught the way it was meant to be learned—through hands-on mentorship, historical insight, and disciplined technique. Our curriculum emphasizes the foundational architecture of Monroe’s sound: tone, timing, downstroke-driven mandolin, and structural clarity. These elements form the grammar of bluegrass, essential to speaking the music with authenticity and intention.
Monroe Mandolin Camp exists to preserve and advance the living legacy of Bill Monroe and traditional bluegrass music—not as a historical artifact, but as a vibrant, evolving language. Just as this music was shaped, shared, and refined more than 80 years ago, it continues today through active teaching, playing, and communal exchange.
At MMC, bluegrass is treated as a living language—spoken through immersive learning, intergenerational mentorship, and shared musical experiences. Days are filled with focused study and discovery; nights spill into late-night jams, laughter, and the kind of spontaneous musical conversations that only happen when people are fully present and deeply listening. Only after these roots are fully internalized do we guide students toward improvisation, interpretation, and individual creative expression—safeguarding the music’s cultural integrity while allowing it to grow, adapt, and remain essential.
But MMC is about more than technique. It’s about lineage, curiosity, and the peace that comes from being among like-minded musicians—people who want to deepen their playing, expand their understanding, and connect with their tribe. It’s about the joy of shared meals, the spark of a breakthrough moment, the laughter between sessions, and the quiet satisfaction of finding your place within a musical community.
Our instructors carry Monroe’s tradition firsthand, and our students learn not just the notes, but the history, culture, and soul behind them—while forming friendships and musical bonds that last far beyond the week.
At the heart of Monroe Mandolin & Music Camp is a simple belief:
To build the future of bluegrass, we must preserve its roots.
As we step into the next chapter of MMC, we do so with clarity and heart:
We are protectors of tradition.
We are builders of community.
We are stewards of a lineage—kept alive through joy, connection, and shared music.
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:
- Electives: 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.
- 2026 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!
