Grammy Award-winning guitarist, songwriter, author and singer, two-time IBMA Songwriter of the Year, former member of Alison Krauss and Union Station, and founding member of celebrated Bluegrass group Blue Highway. Tim is a prolific songwriter, with over 250 songs recorded. He co-wrote IBMA’s 2008 Song of the Year, “Through the Window of a Train,” and was named IBMA’s Songwriter of the Year in 2014 and 2017. In addition, he is a sought-after studio musician, having recorded with over 75 artists in addition to Blue Highway, including Willie Nelson, Kenny Chesney, Jorma Kaukonen, Jesse McReynolds, Benny Sims, Marty Raybon, Joe Isaacs, Ronnie Bowman, Charles Sawtelle, Tony Trischka, Larry Sparks, Jim Mills and many others. Tim was named SPBGMA Guitar Performer of the Year in 2001 and 2015. He has produced many award-winning records for various artists, including Kenny Chesney, The Infamous Stringdusters (IBMA 2007 co-album of the Year) , and Knee Deep in Bluegrass, the Acutab Sessions (IBMA 2001 Instrumental Recorded Performance of the Year).
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2023 Poster
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Thanks to all our sponsors!
Mission Statement
Preserving and Promoting the Music and Cultural Heritage of Authentic First Generation Bluegrass
Mission Statement
Preserving and Promoting the Music and Cultural Heritage of
Authentic First Generational Bluegrass
Music – the universal language of mankind.
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]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.
Miscellaneous
Skill Levels
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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