Pick Along Summer Camp at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum is back, and registration is open for both beginner and intermediate level students. The session for beginners is scheduled for June 19–23, while intermediate level camp will be held June 26–30—no previous experience with an instrument is necessary for the beginner session.
"Pick Along Summer Camp is a truly fun and unique experience for students who are interested in music," said Rene Rodgers, head curator at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum. "We believe it is unlike any summer camp experience offered in the region, and we've had students who travel to Bristol from out of town to take part. Some campers return year after year, and it is so rewarding to see how their skills have progressed."
At Pick Along Summer Camp, students receive instruction on the same style of acoustic instruments played on the 1927 Bristol Sessions recordings – banjo, guitar and fiddle. Campers also learn Appalachian music history, receive instruction in folk singing and dancing, and work on activities with the museum's in-house radio station,WBCM Radio Bristol. Campers get the chance to hone their skills as a budding musician while busking in historic downtown Bristol, and at the end of camp week, students give a final performance for family or caregivers in the museum's Performance Theater.
Beginner camp is specialized for students aged 8–14, while intermediate camp is designed for ages 10–16. Class size is limited and fills up quickly, so it is recommended that parents sign up as soon as possible.
Each camp schedule runs from 9a.m. to 3p.m. Monday through Thursday and on Friday from 9a.m. to 1p.m.
Discounts are available for families with multiple campers and for museum members. Scholarships may also be available. Parents can rent instruments from the museum, or students can bring their own. For more information and to register, visit the Events pages atBirthplaceOfCountryMusic.org.
