You must contact Jeff Menzies directly to register for this course (contact Jeff Menzies directly jeffsbanjer@yahoo.com or 705-456-9939).

Link to larger view of workshop poster

Create a piece of art that sounds as beautiful as it looks! Using a watch&do approach, noted builder/teacher Jeff Menzies will guide you step-by-step as you cut the gourd, craft the neck, and stretch the skin on your new instruments. The workshop will include historical discussion of the banjo, and its connection to food, culture and place. It will probably include a few jam sessions around the fire, too. In the end, you will leave energized, having spent a week in a unique and beautiful place, with a smile on your face and your own banjo tucked under your arm.

SPECIFICS:

The Place: Sylvester Manor is a 243-acre educational farm on Shelter Island, New York, 2.5 hours east of Manhattan. A former slave plantation, the property has also been a Native American hunting and fishing grounds, a bustling 18th century farm, and the estate of a famous food chemist. Today the farm, reborn in 2009, hosts educational workshops, concerts, and events, all of which explore the culture of food and place.

Although the Manor is on an island, it’s easy to get to by public transportation. We’re accessible by car, bus, train, or raft. More details upon registration.

Date: June 7-12 2010 (Students may arrive on Sunday evening, June 6)

Cost: $500 + Materials fee of $175

Numbers: 10 participants minimum, 15 maximum

Daily Schedule: Each day will include intense banjo building and will also include some time to share meals, explore the manor, and hang out by the fire or in the hot tub in the evening.

Tools: All tools are provided. If you have tools of your own, we ask that you bring them! We’ll provide a list upon registration.

Accomodations: Rooms in the Manor or camp sites available. Rates TBA. Motels/Inns are also available on Shelter Island.

Food: TBA- we’ll probably hire someone to cook for the week, using food from our fields. This will be an extra charge for participants.

E-mail a friend about Adventurous Muse Store: Musical Instruments.

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