02/13/2026
The workshop schedule for the Gardner Winter Music Festival in 2026 has now been posted at http://gwmf.org/workshops.php for all to see. The current copy of it is pasted below. It's much clearer and cleaner with everything lined up properly on the website.
Time Instructor Workshop Description
11:00 am–12:00 pm Kim Forry and Jan Scopel Appalachian Flat Foot Dancing Spice up your square dance game with some cool step dance moves.
11:00 am–12:30 pm Norma Venable Lap Dulcimer — Beginner DAA Tuning. No previous music background required. Dulcimers available for loan during class. Learn the history of the dulcimer, how to hold the instrument, strum and pick, read simple TABs and learn several simple songs.
11:00 am–12:30 pm Jeff Fedan Spoons
11:00 am–12:30 pm Rosemary Furman Autoharp — Beginner Autoharp basics for beginners or anyone who may be autoharp curious. We will take a look at how this box with strings works and how you make music. We’ll have extra autoharps available at the workshop.
11:00 am–12:30 pm Chris Haddox Guitar — Intermediate Learn guitar accompaniment for singing. Experiment using a capo, different chord voicing and tunings.
11:00 am–12:30 pm Katie McCoy Fiddle — Beginner For beginners who can already play a couple songs. Bring your own fiddle. We will practice the D scale and rhythms and learn “Cindy" by ear.
11:00 am–5:30 pm Various Singing Jam It's Back! This year's singing room leaders will be:
11 am–12 noon: Lonny Fluharty — Sacred Harp Shape Note Singing
12 noon–1 pm: Charlie and Daphne Anderson
1 pm–2 pm: Donna Weems, Sheila and Jim Rye — Carter Family Songs
2 pm–3 pm: Angelica — Old Country songs in memory of Ronnie Utt (Honor Session)
3 pm-4 pm Olivia Perske
4:40 pm–5:30 pm: Chris Haddox — songs from the southern coal fields
12:45–2:15 pm Ken Sheller Ukelele — all levels Anyone with an instrument that plays chords is welcome.
12:45–2:15 pm Bob Miller Hammered Dulcimer — Intermediate Use Chord Shapes to build the Melody.
Learn one of Worley's tunes — the Cuckoo's Nest — and see how common chord shapes on the hammered dulcimer can help to make this melody easier to play. Bring your own dulcimer.
12:45–2:15 pm Tristan Dennis Mandolin — Beginner to Intermediate
12:45–2:15 pm Dave Haas Lap dulcimer — Smooth Playing Novice to Intermediate. DAD tuning. Improve your strum and fi*****ng to facilitate smooth play. Learn backup chords to accompany other players.
12:45–2:15 pm Trent Porter Clawhammer Banjo — Alternate Tunings We’ll start in standard-G tuning and go to common alternate tunings such as Sawmill, Double-C, Open-C, drone tunings, and how to use a capo to play in other keys.
12:45–2:15 pm Jacob Lambert and Friends Jamming 101 All instruments and skill levels-Learn the basics to fitting into an oldtime. Practical chord identification, tune structure, and common melody patterns.
2:00–3:00 pm Kim Forry and Jan Scopel Appalachian Flat Foot Dancing Spice up your square dance game with some cool step dance moves.
2:30–4:00 pm Dakota Karper Fiddle — Intermediate For fiddlers who want to deepen their old-time sound and jam confidence. Participants will learn regional WV fiddle tunes and traditions, especially from Hampshire and Mineral Counties. A recording device is encouraged. We will focus on bowing patterns, left-hand ornaments, and subtle stylistic details that turn simple melodies into compelling old-time music.
2:30–4:00 pm Dave Haas Lap Dulcimer — Intro to Arpeggios Novice-Intermediate. DAD tuning. Play slow songs beautifully by plucking the strings one-at-a-time. Learn backup chords to accompany others playing slowly. New material this year.
2:30–4:00 pm Cindy Harris Autoharp — Intermediate to Advanced Explore the thumb lead technique that helps autoharpers play everything from waltzes to jigs to fast fiddle tunes. Keys of G and D. Bring your own autoharp.
2:30–4:00 pm Jeff Fedan Hammered Dulcimer — Intermediate
2:30–4:00 pm Trent Porter Piedmont Guitar — Intermediate Participants will learn the basic Piedmont righthand technique, and go through a few simple exercises that build upon each other to help execute the pattern.
2:30–4:00 pm Celia Faux Waltz Workshop — Intermediate
4:00–4:30 pm Various — Auditorium Richard Eddy Memorial An on stage memorial in honor and memory of Richard Eddy.
4:40–6:00 pm+ Mark Tamsula Pennsylvania Fiddle Tunes Mark Tamsula and the Snappin' Bug Stringband will host a jam of SW Pennsylvania tunes from the collections of Samuel Bayard.
4:40–6:00 pm+ Isaac McCarthy 3-Finger Banjo — Intermediate
4:40–6:00 pm+ Jan Scopel Bodhran — Beginner
4:40–6:00 pm+ Mason Atha Bass — Advanced Beginner to Intermediate For bassists looking to take their playing to the next level or for musicians who want to start playing bass. Topics will include crafting effective bass lines, jam etiquette, and how to physically approach the instrument.
4:40–6:00 pm+ Ron Buchanan Square Dance Calling
4:40–6:00 pm+ Judy Werner Stories and Songs of Patty Looman (Honor Session)
No cost (with admission) and no pre-registration! Please check near the festival entrance for workshop rooms and last-minute changes. Possibly subject to change.
