Folk School of Chattanooga » Uncategorized

Summer Schedule!

admin — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 12:24:27 +0000

We have not one but two new batches of classes to announce! In July we’re featuring four weeks of old-time and blues classes, and in August we’re all about the bluegrass. Registration deadline for July classes is July 5, and for August classes is August 8. Most of these summer classes are aimed at the advanced-beginning level (beginners classes will be offered again in our 8-week Fall semester, starting September 20). We’re adding a few new instructors, Gordy Nichol on bass, Roy Curry teaching guitar, Laura Walker teaching singing, and Ed Huey for harmonica. Speaking of Ed Huey, he’ll be performing this Saturday afternoon, June 26, at the Folk School—and knowing Ed, it should be a really fun show! This and many other summer performances are listed on our Events page: http://chattanoogafolk.com/events

Chirps Smith and Dave Landreth

admin — Sat, 22 May 2010 20:27:29 +0000

The Folk School of Chattanooga welcomed Chirps Smith and Dave Landreth, two wonderful old time musicians from the Midwest. They played last night at Stone Cup Coffee House, just one block away from the folk school. Stone Cup is a relaxing venue, where you can get a cup of coffee or tea, or a beer, and a really good sandwich. With the beautiful weather last night, they opened the garage door walls to the outside, clearing a view to the river and the Walnut Street Bridge. Lots of people came out to hear Chirps and Dave play, and some simply wandered in, lured by the sounds of the banjo and fiddle. There was singing, dancing, wild banjoing and fiddling, and a jam session back at the folk school afterward that stretched into the morning.

Our very own transatlantic sessions!

admin — Mon, 17 May 2010 16:49:56 +0000

The music we heard wafting through the Folk School last week was wonderful! Tune after tune after tune, some Irish, some old time, some genuinely both. Fletcher Bright, Deirdre Ni Chonghaile, Joseph Decosimo, Ken Doyle, Mark Pitner, and Bob Chuckrow came together to rehearse for a house concert in Signal Mountain; a group of people so passionate about tunes and playing, that their “spare tunes” list was even longer than the set list itself! I’m glad that Chattanooga is the kind of city where this work can take place, where musicians from different countries can sit together and explore the common ground (and then stretch to learn something new from each others’ repertoire). It was such a clear picture of music as the catalyst for bringing strangers together as friends. What better reason to keep playing??

Our second concert: Joseph, Robert, Luke, and Kasey

admin — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 05:19:06 +0000

Joseph Decosimo, Luke Richardson, Robert Heiskell, and Kasey Decosimo were meant to be performing in our second “rooftop” concert, but it ended up being an indoor concert because of the stormy weather. They played such beautiful music, and it was enjoyed by all who came to listen. It was a real treat!!

Lon Eldridge, Rooftop Concert

admin — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 04:04:23 +0000

Lon Eldridge gave a very enjoyable performance for the Folk School’s very first rooftop concert on April 16th, 2010. He played two sets of music, including blues, ragtime, original, and Americana music. Lon will be teaching a blues slide guitar workshop on June 5th at the Folk School. If you would like to find out about future rooftop concerts, make sure you’re on our email list, or join our page on Facebook for invitations and announcements.

Our First Rooftop Concert

admin — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 19:49:06 +0000

Lon Eldridge

Lon Eldridge, blues and Americana musician, will perform in our very first rooftop concert on Friday April 16th, at 8pm. ($10 suggested donation.)

The roof is a wonderful place with a magnificent view of Chattanooga, but we can only invite 15 people up at a time. So if you would like to get your name on our guest list for the concert on Friday, email us at music@chattanoogafolk.com with the answer to this question: Where is Robert Johnson buried?

Feel free to join us after 9:30pm for the after-party. No invitation necessary! Bring an instrument, a friend, and byob.

Also, don’t forget to register for spring classes and workshops at the Folk School. Lon will be teaching a blues slide guitar workshop on June 5th. http://chattanoogafolk.com/classes

Grand Opening–Friday, April 9th, 4-7pm

admin — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 15:43:21 +0000

Folk School of Chattanooga, April 9, 4-7pm

Come see our new exhibit of fiber art at the Folk School!

Join us at 250 Forest Avenue for the Folk School of Chattanooga’s Grand Opening party. This will be a great opportunity for many of you to see our new building for the first time. We encourage everyone to bring their instruments; there will be at least one jam session to join in on, and maybe several more! Let’s fill this building with music for an afternoon and celebrate this new home for the Folk School. Everyone is welcome!

After the grand opening, we’ll head over to the Barking Legs for a wonderful concert to benefit the Friends of the Cumberland Trail. Here’s info about that event:

Barking Legs, April 9th, 7:30pm

Help the Friends of the Cumberland Trail preserve our region’s cultural and natural heritage by joining us at a benefit concert featuring Roane County fiddle masters Mike Bryant and Charlie McCarroll. Bring your music and dancing shoes because after a delightful evening of songs and fiddle music, all are invited to participate in a rousing square dance.

I [heart] my folk school and it shows!

admin — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 01:41:57 +0000

Several weeks ago we posted on Facebook that we were looking for a beat up old guitar case or banjo case. Our friend and sometimes student, Richard Clements, came through with this nearly-dead banjo case–Perfect! We passed it on to artist Ange Roth who worked her magic and turned it into our totally nifty new donations box! Creative recycling at its best. She painted a banjo on the front of the case, and on the banjo the words, “I [heart] my folk school and it shows.” The case will live in the main room of our folk school, so if you happen to be here for a film, a jam session, or a party, why not stick a dollar or two in there? Also, it’ll come with us when we set up the folk school booth for promotional events out there in the world. We’re feeling a lot like a real nonprofit now! Big big thanks to Richard and Ange for this wonderful (and much needed) donations box. It will truly be the gift that keeps on giving!

I just noticed also in the photograph you can see part of the table on loan to us from Phil Timm. He’s one of the woodworkers who has a lot of great work for sale over at Area 61 (also where you can see more of Ange’s art). Our friends [heart] us and it shows! And we are so grateful for their generosity.

Wintersong Songwriter Workshop and Concert

admin — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 01:33:02 +0000

We are sponsoring the Wintersong Songwriter Workshop and Concert at the Barking Legs Theater this Saturday, February 20th. It’s a great opportunity for aspiring songwriters to spend a full day working with experts in their field. Then, the whole day wraps up with a nice concert at the end, so the rest of us can come enjoy the music of these songwriters! We hope to see you there!

Details about Wintersong are here: http://www.wintersongworkshop.com/

Notice anything new?

admin — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 23:58:51 +0000

Yes, indeed, we used to be the Mountain Music Folk School, and we are now the Folk School of Chattanooga. Our friends on Dayton Blvd. are reestablishing their lessons program at the Mountain Music store, and so to avoid any confusion, we’re adopting “Folk School of Chattanooga” as our new name. Please bear with us as we make all the necessary changes on the website, Facebook, emails, etc.
If you are one of our “fans” on Facebook, you’ll need to rejoin under our new name, as Facebook doesn’t allow for name changes on their business pages.

And just as an update, we’re really settling into our new location at 250 Forest Ave., in North Chattanooga. We’re busy here with lots of private students who fill the place in the afternoons and evenings, and our current semester of group classes, which just started a week ago. If you haven’t seen our new place yet, stop by! You’re welcome to drop in anytime and say hello, or come on a Friday evening in February or March at 7pm for our free music documentary film series!

Also, though our group classes have already started (and some of them are full!), we’re still accepting private students at any time. If you’re interested in taking lessons on fiddle, guitar, mandolin, hammered dulcimer, mountain dulcimer, clawhammer banjo, bluegrass banjo, or upright bass, we have a teacher for you!

The next semester of group classes will begin April 26th.