Civic Garden Club - 622 South Second St. La Conner, WA
$30 / Advance - Online
$35 / at the Box Office (located in Maple Hall during exhibition hours)
About Dustin
Dustin Furlow is an internationally-recognized singer/songwriter/instrumental-guitarist whose body of work occupies its own niche in the contemporary folk music scene. With comparisons to Ray LaMontagne and Gregory Alan Isakov, his voice is earthy and unassuming--conjuring subtle traces of soul and Americana, and supported by a well-informed background of guitar ranging from Celtic to Jazz. After recording 5 albums and playing over 1500 shows since pursuing music full-time in 2013, Furlow has carved out a sound distinguishable by its marriage of complex fingerstyle-guitar and warm, homespun lyrics. From the foot-tapping groove of "Cherokee Lake" to the haunting melodies in "Evergreen," Dustin is an ambassador of dynamic control on stage. In both 2017 and 2023 he received the Veer Magazine Music Awards for "Best Acoustic/Folk Artist" and in 2021 was announced the winner of Scottish luthier Taran Guitars' "Young Player Bursary" award. Today Dustin lives in Asheville, NC where he works at Dream Guitars and continues to share his music with the world via both live performance and online guitar demos supporting the world's most talented guitarmakers.
About This Workshop
-This workshop will focus on how to connect to your listeners (and yourself!) through your songs and lyrical choices.
-Rather than focus on well-established songwriting norms, rhyming schemes and how to write hooks this workshop will focus on how to determine what is important to you as a write
and hopefully give a birdseye view on how best to make sure songs get finished as a higher rate.
-General overview of established songwriting concepts from the mid 20th century to now from the greats will briefly be covered.
Civic Garden Club - 622 South Second St. La Conner, WA
$30 / Advance - Online
$35 / at the Box Office (located in Maple Hall during exhibition hours)
About Tracy
Tracy Spring has won multiple regional awards for her singing and songwriting. She displays a style all her own while combining blues, swing, old R and B, jazz, and folk. Spring lives in Bellingham, Washington and is a fourth generation Washingtonian. She is a seasoned performer, known for her compelling vocals and versatile guitar playing in folk venues and festivals throughout North America and Australia.
Tracy’s songs “Sometimes Angels,” “Somebody’s Child” (co-written with Becca Christel Palm), “In Our Hands,” and “What Would You Give To Change the World” have been used for soundtracks promoting philanthropy, raising funds for thousands of charitable organizations.
About This Workshop
A great lyric. A lovely bridge. An unexpected melodic line or chord structure. What caught your ear or captured your heart? We'll bring our favorite songs to this workshop and learn about songwriting by exploring the great moves that someone else made. Bonus points if you bring a song you love, and then play a song you've written that incorporates one of those great moves! No prior songwriting experience is required to participate; just bring a favorite song to share with the group.
Civic Garden Club - 622 South Second St. La Conner, WA
$30 / Advance - Online
$35 / at the Box Office (located in Maple Hall during exhibition hours)
About Mark
Grammy-Award winner Mark Hanson is a well known performer, author, and instructor in the acoustic guitar field. He has authored over two dozen guitar books/DVDs on a variety of topics, released 10 solo and group recordings, and contributed to numerous tribute CDs, one of which – Solid Air Records’ “Henry Mancini Pink Guitar” – won a Grammy for best pop instrumental album in 2005.
A number of Mark’s recordings have been – and are currently – heard on syndicated radio and television, including NPR, Martha Stewart Living and American Idol. Mark played for the President of the United States in 2009.
Mark and his wife, Greta Pedersen, founded Accent On Music LLC in 1985, publishing his many titles and hosting the annual Accent On Music Fingerstyle Guitar Seminar in Portland, Oregon. Performers/teachers such as Tommy Emmanuel, John Renbourn, Alex DeGrassi and Laurence Juber have joined Mark for the fest.
Mark earned a music degree at Stanford University and performed and taught for many years in the San Francisco Bay Area.
About This Workshop
Friend-of-La-Conner and Grammy winner Mark Hanson presents a fingerstyle guitar workshop for aspiring and practiced Travis Pickers. Mark has written three best-selling Travis Picking books, a style made famous by Merle Travis, Chet Atkins, Paul Simon, Leo Kottke and a wealth of instrumentalists and singer-songwriters. He will introduce you to the four basic patterns, the common alterations, and teach you how to play a melody on top of the thumb-produced bass pattern. Included are exercise sheet handouts, and a ready-made tune in tablature. Mark and his wife/partner, Greta Pedersen, have published 30+ guitar books through their company Accent On Music, LLC.
Civic Garden Club - 622 South Second St. La Conner, WA
$30 / Advance - Online
$35 / at the Box Office (located in Maple Hall during exhibition hours)
About Brad
If you have ever been to this festival before, you've probably become familiar with the guitar duo Frog and Toad, they have been delighting our festival audiences since 2018! Brad Jones was already a skilled musician playing guitar for over 25 years before joining Ben Wilborn to form Frog and toad. Brad is now an accomplished Fingerstyle guitarist specializing in harmonic open style composition.
About This Workshop
Brad Jones (Frog of Frog and Toad) will teach some fundamental finger style drop-tuning techniques by sharing his arrangement of the traditional English ballad Scarborough Fair. He’ll be keeping it simple, so you should be walking out with a pretty good grasp of how to play this timeless classic.
Civic Garden Club - 622 South Second St. La Conner, WA
$30 / Advance - Online
$35 / at the Box Office (located in Maple Hall during exhibition hours)
About Tim
As a performer Tim entertains audiences internationally. He maintains an active performing schedule, appearing in a variety of concert venues such as the Kimmel Center, Montreal International Jazz Festival, Carnegie Hall, Hard Rock Live, Metropolitan Museum of Art, The North American Guitar London, LaConner Guitar Festival, Artisan Guitar Show, Carnegie Hall, Healdsburg Guitar Festival, Woodstock Invitational Luthiers Showcase and many more...
Tim performs on benefit concerts, festivals, workshops, corporate events and television programs. Tim has performed live on many radio programs as a featured artist including Echoes and Kid's Corner, both popular syndicated shows heard on hundreds of Public Radio stations nationwide.
Tim performs as a solo artist and also has shared audiences with such notable artists as Les Paul, George Benson, Jean Luc Ponty, Rick Wakeman, Alex DeGrassi, Jake Shimabukuru, California Guitar Trio, John Sebastian and many more ...
About This Workshop
Come join us as we learn a great fingerstyle guitar arrangement of Mr. Tambourine Man, one of the most enduring songs from arguably the most famous person to be referred to as A Complete Unknown, the one and only Bob Dylan.
Mr. Tambourine Man is one of Dylan’s most memorable and recognizable melodies. It has a nice a simple chord structure which makes it fun and comfortable to play. We will combine this with the distinctive introduction from The Byrds’ version for a wonderfully unique and enjoyable rendition of this great song.
Civic Garden Club - 622 South Second St. La Conner, WA
$30 / Advance - Online
$35 / at the Box Office (located in Maple Hall during exhibition hours)
About Jamie
Jamie Stillway has been quietly making her mark on the guitar world for over 25 years. Hailed by Fretboard Journal as “One of the top fingerstyle guitarists of her generation,” Stillway is widely regarded as a master of her craft who plays like a woman with nothing to prove. She has released nine albums to widespread critical acclaim, including five solo albums of original compositions. She’s a regular contributor to Acoustic Guitar magazine and is also the host of the Guitar for Introverts podcast. Her unique, minimalist compositions and elegant guitar style have inspired players all over the globe.
About This Workshop
This workshop is intended for those who have recently set out on the path of fingerstyle guitar and the fingerpicking curious. We’ll outline the construction of common fingerpicking “patterns” and how to utilize that knowledge to develop your own ideas that will allow you to fingerpick along with your favorite chord progressions. We’ll also discuss ways to add scales and melodies into your playing so you can start to create your own arrangements.
Civic Garden Club - 622 South Second St. La Conner, WA
$30 / Advance - Online
$35 / at the Box Office (located in Maple Hall during exhibition hours)
About John
ohn Stowell began his successful career in the early 1970's with private study with guitarist Linc Chamberland and pianist John Mehegan. Both men were valuable mentors to John, allowing him to play with them as he progressed in his development. Several years later he met bassist David Friesen in New York City, and they formed a duo that recorded and toured prolifically for seven years, with performances in the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia.
In 1983, John and David joined flutist Paul Horn and Paul's son Robin Horn (on drums) for a historic tour of the Soviet Union. This was the first time in forty years that an American jazz group had been invited to play public performances in Russia. In 1993, 1995, 1998 and 2012 John returned to Russia, playing in numerous cities. His two sold-out performances in Kursk may have been the first appearances there by an American jazz musician.
John continues to tour, record and teach internationally. He has been Artist-In-Residence at schools in Germany, Indonesia, Argentina, and in the United States and Canada. He served as assistant director and performer in Oregon Public Broadcasting's PDX Jazz Summit in 1991, and since 1995 has been a contributing columnist for a number of magazines, including "Downbeat", "Guitar Player", "Canadian Musician", "Soundcheck" (Germany), and "Guitar Club" (Italy).
About This Workshop
Using modulations as a way for create interesting arrangements and memorize chord progressions. John will play some of his own arrangements to demonstrate modulation techniques and applications. Participants will receive a 50 page pdf with some articles that John has written and links for three of his recent CDs
Civic Garden Club - 622 South Second St. La Conner, WA
$30 / Advance - Online
$35 / at the Box Office (located in Maple Hall during exhibition hours)
About Sean
Award winning Candyrat Recording artist Sean Hall is a fingerstyle guitarist from Bellingham, WA. Weaving beautiful melodies with lush harmonies and percussive elements, his performances invite listeners to experience the melodic landscapes he creates. Sean has toured extensively in 48 states and over 20 countries, winning the Epic Records national competition and being featured at The Gorge Amphitheater in Washington State. Sean is produced by the renowned Antoine Dufour and collaborates regularly with him as well as acclaimed guitarists such as Don Ross, Alex de Grassi and Trevor Gordon Hall. Inspired by trail blazers such as Michael Hedges, Alex de Grassi and Phil Keaggy, Sean strives to continue the legacy of smashing the boundaries of what can be done on the acoustic guitar.
About This Workshop
Rediscover the fun in guitar! Spice up your chops as award winning Candyrat recording artist Sean Hall walks you through how to incorporate fun elements like pinch harmonics, harmonic tapping, partial capos and body percussion. For the adventurous at heart! ***Not required, but extra credit for those who bring your cut capos, spider capo and 2 of the Shubb C7b partial capos!
Beyond the Roar and the Thunder – The Art of the 12-String Guitar
Sunday May 18th — 10:00pm - 11:30pm
Civic Garden Club - 622 South Second St. La Conner, WA
$30 / Advance - Online
$35 / at the Box Office (located in Maple Hall during exhibition hours)
About Tracy
Guitar music that is delicate, dynamic, serious and often whimsical flows from composer/performer Tracy Moore and his 12-String Guitar. Trained in Classical Guitar and Renaissance Lute, Moore's reputation as a premiere 12-String Guitarist has attracted the attention of the national press, including Guitar Player and Acoustic Guitar Magazine. Rave reviews and feature articles have placed Moore in the ranks of the top solo, steel string guitarists. Moore has shared the stage with Leo Kottke, John Fahey, Eric Tingstad, Michael Manring, Peter Janson, Steve Davison, and Chris Proctor. Whether in performance or at a workshop, Tracy Moore’s passion for the 12-String Guitar is clearly evident.
About This Workshop
12-String guitar music is often an expression of drive and power. The 12-String can also be an instrument of great beauty, delicacy and resonance. The 12-String gives guitarists another opportunity for creative musical expression. 12-String players tune the lowest four courses in octaves and the upper two courses in unison. We will explore typical tunings, as well as other creative approaches to tunings that open the 12-String to amazing creativity.
Topics we’ll explore at the workshop:
• What to look for when purchasing a 12-String guitar
• Considerations about tuning, string tension and string gauges
• Fingerpicks or fingernails?
• Nail care tips (especially important for 12-String players)
• Open and altered tunings for the 12-String
• Using the upper octave strings for melodic development, my specialty
Tab, audio examples, links and resources will be provided.
Civic Garden Club - 622 South Second St. La Conner, WA
$30 / Advance - Online
$35 / at the Box Office (located in Maple Hall during exhibition hours)
About Trevor
Trevor Hanson is a guitarist from Washington’s Olympic Peninsula. His frequent local performances, both solo and ensemble, draw on classical, jazz, and other music styles. He’s been a familiar participant at La Conner Guitar Festival. Past training includes study with classical guitarist Myroslav Radawiec, and jazz icons Chuck Wayne and Sal Salvador. He mostly plays 7-string guitars, using steel and nylon strings.
About This Workshop
Performing alone, as a solo guitarist, is very different from playing with an ensemble. This workshop offers a road map for effective solo playing, based on demonstrations of jazz, latin, and folk material, plus workshop study of specific examples (in notation, tablature, and Ted Greene grids). Topics include: choosing material; simplifying harmonies; creating arrangements; selecting chords and inversions; working through specific examples; improvising while playing alone; building repertoire; and practice strategies. Both fingerstyle and plectrum technique will be discussed, and the workshop will span a range of experience levels.
Flatpicking a Melody with Confidence, Plus Improvisation
Sunday May 18th — 2:00pm - 3:30pm
Civic Garden Club - 622 South Second St. La Conner, WA
$30 / Advance - Online
$35 / at the Box Office (located in Maple Hall during exhibition hours)
About Eli
Eli West is an American Roots musician from the Pacific Northwest. A multi-instrumental creator of sonic spaces, Eli’s former training as a designer informs a sound that is lush and organic – neither manicured nor overgrown. Evergreen timbres weave among pitches, rhythms and lyrics to become comfortable rooms into which listeners are invited.
Lauded by Tim O’brien as a musician “making music the World needs,” Eli’s reputation as a crafter of considered, toneful environments has fostered collaborations with Bill Frisell, Andrew Marlin, John Reishchman, Julie Fowlis, and many other pillars of the growing Americana movement.
About This Workshop
We will pick a tune to work out the melody together to then arrange in our own fashion. Once confident with the melody, we will branch off to establish grounded improvisation, informed and influenced by the melody.
