How to Register for Summer 2024 Camps
To register create an account in RecTrac (the Town of Cary's new registration system).
You must have a RecTrac account before you can sign up for camp.
After creating an account, PineCone Members should email Jennifer<dot>Hocken<at>townofcary<dot>gov with the following information:
- You and your campers' names.
- Which camp(s).
- How long they have been playing their fiddle, banjo, guitar or mandolin.
- If they need any reasonable modifications to participate.
Jennifer will then register your child(ren) in the system at the discounted rate which will generate an invoice in RecTrac that you can pay online.
Bluegrass Camp - June 24-28, 2024
Page-Walker Arts & History Center, 119 Ambassador Loop, Cary, NC
PineCone’s Bluegrass Camp in Cary features classes in Guitar, Mandolin, Beginner Fiddle, Intermediate Fiddle, Songwriting and this year Banjo (banjos available upon request)! This is a exceptional camp for kids who have some familiarity with their instruments and want to play bluegrass. Campers will learn tunes, get personal attention on their instruments and have fun making music with friends. Players at all levels will get something out of this camp experience.
Bluegrass Guitar (morning session)
Learn some new tunes this summer! Whether you are starting to explore the guitar or have played for a while, this camp will inspire you. Helpful if campers already know at least G, C, and D chords and can play a simple song or two. Improve your guitar technique alongside peers with a similar interest in bluegrass music.
Instructor: Charles Pettee
Beginner Bluegrass Fiddle (morning session)
An introduction to bluegrass fiddling. Learn basic melodies, rhythm playing and peek into the world of improvisation. Campers should have some experience playing violin and be able to play a simple song (aka Suzuki Book 1 or below), but do not need to have mastered tuning, bowing or finger placement.
Instructor: Pattie Hopkins Kinlaw
Intermediate Bluegrass Fiddle (afternoon session)
For campers who have mastered basic fiddle skills (can tune their instruments, keep time, play the principal scales, aka Suzuki Book 2 or above) and already play a few tunes with confidence, this class will introduce additional techniques and bluegrass repertoire to help students prepare for Jam Camp.
Instructor: Pattie Hopkins Kinlaw
Bluegrass Mandolin (afternoon session)
This camp will challenge both beginner and more experienced mandolin students. Helpful if campers already know at least G, D, and A chords and can play a simple song. This class will help the student to advance from wherever they currently are, and to gain experience playing with other mandolin students. A great opportunity to learn and improve mandolin technique.
Instructor: Charles Pettee
Bluegrass Songwriting (morning & afternoon sessions)
Campers will learn about song craft by listening to bluegrass songs, generating song ideas, developing lyrics, and exploring melody and chords to create and arrange an original group song for final performance. Students with songwriting experience will be encouraged to think critically about technique. For all levels of songwriting experience.
Instructor: Lynda Dawson
Bluegrass Banjo (afternoon session)
Welcome to the world of banjo! Students will work on melody, rhythm and chord progressions using a bluegrass-style 3-finger roll to play and accompany songs. Whether you are starting to explore the banjo or have played for a while, this camp will inspire you to take your playing to the next level. Helpful for campers to know a few chords and/or tunes on any bluegrass instrument prior to camp.
Instructor: Hank Smith
Bluegrass Jam Camp - July 29 - August 2, 2024
Page-Walker Arts & History Center, 119 Ambassador Loop, Cary, NC
PineCone’s Bluegrass Jam Camp is a full-day camp for intermediate fiddle, banjo, mandolin, guitar, and upright bass students (ages 10-17) looking to learn new repertoire and build their bluegrass jam toolkit while jamming with others. Instructors: Charles Pettee, Pattie Kinlaw, Hank Smith, Lynda Dawson.
**Students will spend time indoors and out and are expected to provide their own instruments, snacks and lunches. Pen, paper, and a recording device are recommended as well.**
Pricing
Supervised lunch hour is included for campers who register for both a morning and afternoon session
Scholarships & Banjos Available!
Need-based scholarships are available through a simple application process. Please email for scholarship and/or banjo request!
What parents are saying about PineCone's Bluegrass Camps for Youth...
"The atmosphere was very welcoming and warm. My kids were nervous at the beginning, but told me they are sad to see the camp come to an end. They mentioned that this was the best camp experience they have ever had."
"What a great week! Not only did this week bring a new routine to an otherwise uncertain time, it brought lots of joy and renewed enthusiasm for playing bluegrass! Thank you so much for thinking out of the box and making this happen for students! Using the breakout rooms for small group instruction based on student level was an excellent addition this year..."
"These camps are popular for a reason! Very fun music, great instructors, chances to play and even form bands with other youth players - we're very lucky to have this in the Triangle! My son has done these camps several times and has really taken off on his fiddle and mandolin."
"I made my kids go to this camp because they were spending too much time sitting on the couch playing with their phones and tablets during the summer. I was a little nervous that they would not enjoy the camp. They have never really listened to bluegrass. They listen to rock music and they play in the orchestra and jazz band at school. I couldn't believe how excited they were to go to camp every day. They were also very excited to tell me all the things that happened at camp when I picked them up. They really enjoyed it! They had a great time meeting new musicians their own age and getting to interact with them daily! It was a great experience!"
"The fun thing about bluegrass is playing it with other people, and my son had a blast in jam camp! He learned a ton of new songs, and made friends there that he still plays music with."