We are excited to offer a variety of workshops this year. Just like our campout, the workshops are rather casual. Sit in on as many – or as few as you like. All levels are welcome in the workshops. You can even just sit in for a few minutes and listen, if you like. All workshops will be outdoors. Everyone attending a workshop is required to sign in.
You don’t need to register in advance for the workshops. However, you do need to register for the Zigzag Campout.
4:00 PM
– Slow Jam with Melissa Takush
New to jamming with others? Comfortable with your instrument, but new to old-time? Want to take some extra time to practice starting tunes in a supportive group? Working on a new tune you might need some help with? You’re not alone! Meet new people to play with and get comfortable jamming in a low-pressure environment.
10:00 AM – Singing tunes with Steph Noll, Paul Silveria, Athena McKown, Mark Kilianski (1 hour)
Tunes with words! There are lots of fiddle tunes that don’t quite feel like full-fledged songs, but have words that go along with them. These might be a simple chorus, or floating verses, or just a bit of lyrics that fit the melody. Bring your instrument – and bring your voice too!
11:00 AM – The Wide World of String Band Guitar with Mark Kilianski
The groove is in your hands! Guitar is the glue of a string band’s collective rhythm. We’ll explore many elements of this broad style, including timing, tone, chord choices, bass runs, jam etiquette, practice techniques, and more. We’ll listen to a wide array of approaches to guitar across the Old Time genre and discuss this world of possibilities, as well the history and development of the music.
1:00 PM – Youth New Tune Workshop with Olivia Horgan (1 hour)
Anyone can jam! You don’t need to know every note of a tune to have a great group jam. In this workshop we will learn an old time fiddle tune that all levels can play. First we find a common groove and then build the melody from there. This is a great workshop for beginners/slower paced players, but more experienced players are welcome too. All instruments welcome.
2:00 PM - Bowing tips and tricks: make the most of your sound with Athena McKown
We’ll discuss a couple of easy tips and tricks in bowing and adding basic chording to vary your sound while playing old time fiddle tunes. Everyone is welcome!
3:00 PM - Clawhammer repertoire: learn a couple of new tunes with Paul Silveria
Break out your banjo and learn a couple of new tunes. We’ll start by learning a basic version of the tunes, and then expand with variations that you can experiment with to make the tune your own. If you can only pick up the basic tune, no problem – all levels welcome!
4:00 PM – Expect the Unexpected: Diving into crooked tunes with Athena McKown
Dropped beats, added measures, extra phrases – many things can pop up when it comes to crooked tunes in old time music! We’ll cover the basics of tune and rhythm structure in crooked tunes, and be prepared to dive into a couple of different tunes that are fun to play. Everyone is welcome!
4:30 PM – Slow Jam with Melissa Takush: all instruments, all levels
New to jamming with others? Comfortable with your instrument, but new to old-time? Want to take some extra time to practice starting tunes in a supportive group? Working on a new tune you might need some help with? You’re not alone! Meet new people to play with and get comfortable jamming in a low-pressure environment.
7:00 PM – Crankie performance and Q&A with Paul Silveria
10:00 AM – Morning Song Circle with Steph Noll: Gospel Sing (1 hour)
Let’s start the day singing together. Song sheets of some fun old gospel songs provided to kick us off, but you’re also welcome to bring any kind of favorite song or round to share, or just enjoy singing along with others. Singers of all ages and beliefs welcome. (You don’t even have to think you are a singer.)
11:00 AM – Own the drone: Exploring alternative old time fiddle tunings with Athena McKown
We’ll delve into some of the traditional open tunings like DDAD and Calico that bring along their own sound and tune repertoires. Come prepared to challenge your fiddle to bring out its maximum drone potential. While the focus is on fiddle, all instruments are welcome!
1:00 PM – Flat Pick Guitar with Mark Kilianski
Let’s play some lead guitar! We will use standard fiddle tunes and songs to explore technique, improvisation, and fretboard knowledge. Practice routine, music theory, and the musician’s mindset will all be discussed. We’ll do some ear training, listening, watching, and laughing too!
1:00 PM – Youth New Tune Workshop for Advanced players with Kate O’Brien
This is a great workshop for youth players with several years experience who can pick up tunes pretty quickly and feel comfortable playing at high tempos. We will learn a rag (rags are awesome and fun!) tune and focus on making it groove and flow! If time and interest allow we will add back up and harmony and maybe even a little improv. All instruments welcome.
2:00 PM – Animal Crossing with Athena McKown, Paul Silveria and Mark Kilianski
We’ll play some of our favorite animal themed tunes, that all happen to be in cross tuning! Everyone is welcome!
3:00 PM – Youth Jam with Maja, Sam & Charlie (All instruments/all levels – 1 hour)
All are welcome to come and jam! Led by our teen musicians, we will play some common old time tunes, as well as the tunes taught at the kids’ fiddle workshop. Participants will be encouraged to suggest and lead tunes, and those who don’t know a tune will be given ideas for playing along. Participants will have the option to perform a tune together at the Sunday night open mic.
5:00 PM – Family Dance in Maja’s Meadow (45 min)
Caller: Paul Silveria; Band: Steph Noll, Sam and Charlie and Friends
All ages welcome! Give your bum a dance break from all that jamming and tune-learning and join us for a Zigzag style square dance.
7:00 PM
Campfire Concert
Campers Open Mic followed by a concert with Paul Silveria, Athena McKown, and Mark Kilianski
10:00 AM
- Songs of Resistance with Steph Noll (1 hour)
Let’s start the day singing together. Song sheets of some songs of solidarity and resistance provided to kick us off, but you’re also welcome to bring any kind of favorite song or round to share, or just enjoy singing along with others. Singers of all ages welcome. (You don’t even have to think you are a singer.)
Mark Kilianski is a guitar flatpicker, banjo player, and singer songwriter, with home bases in Nashville, New Jersey, and Vancouver, BC. But, most of the time you’ll find him on the road with Americana/old-time duo Golden Shoals.
In his formative years, Mark immersed himself in various styles of guitar music including classic rock, jazz, classical, and metal. While pursuing a degree in Jazz Composition at Berklee College of Music, he started meeting bluegrass and celtic fiddlers and took a stylistic left turn, falling in love with folk music’s raw aesthetic and ethos of anywhere/anytime jamming. This diverse musical background informs Mark’s unique sound and approach to traditional music and songwriting. Throughout it all, Mark pays homage to the old timers of American roots music, with his own personal reverence and humor.
Athena McKown is an established fiddler based in Vancouver, BC. She loves traditional fiddling and the festival scene, and has been playing fiddle music in many forms for over 20 years. She hosts the popular old-time jams with Paul Silveria for the Pacific Bluegrass & Old Time Society, and has fronted numerous ceilidh, contra and square dance bands. She has also performed alongside the Canote Brothers and at festivals, including the Vancouver Folk Music Festival, Cowichan Valley Bluegrass Festival, and Harrison Festival of the Arts, among others. She is currently in Hammer, Pick and Saw, a trio of fiddle, banjo and pedal steel, which honours the old time tradition while exploring a unique and more ethereal side of the music. When not playing music or at a festival, she is a teaching professor in the forest sciences at the University of British Columbia.
Paul Silveria is a musician, dance caller, and teacher who puts community at the heart of his work. Originally from Portland, Oregon, and now living in Vancouver, BC, he is a 20+ year veteran of the folk and traditional music scene in the Pacific Northwest.
Paul is a driving, and innovative banjo player. He first began learning clawhammer banjo in 2002 in Portland’s thriving, old-time music scene. His repertoire includes old-time, country blues, and jug band tunes, as well as original songs written with the straight-forward story telling style of his traditional favourites.
Steph Noll is an old-time musician, dance caller, and mama to two, musical teens. She loves calling dances and loves the Pacific Northwest old time music scene for its many opportunities to make music with friends of all ages. Steph is offering three all-ages song circles (Saturday, Sunday, Monday) and a Sunday afternoon square dance in the meadow.
Olivia Horgan is a fiddle player with Irish roots, who loves playing music from around the world. She has played in the Sorbonne orchestra in Paris, the deserts of Namibia, the beaches of Zanzibar, and in her beloved hometown of Portland. Playing and teaching fiddle is her life’s passion and she especially loves introducing the fiddle to young children. You can hear her performing with the Ross Island Ramblers, the Celtic Light Orchestra and the Whole Grain Loafers.
Charlie Sheie is a sophomore at Roosevelt High School. He enjoys playing guitar, upright bass, and tuba. He can be found playing guitar at Portland youth jams and Irish sessions, and with his band Triple File at regional festivals, dances, and farmers markets. He’s the twin wearing glasses.
Sam Sheie is a sophomore at Roosevelt High School. He enjoys playing both fiddle and clarinet. He can be found playing fiddle at Portland youth jams and Irish sessions, and with his band Triple File at regional festivals, dances, and farmers markets. He’s the twin without glasses.
Kate O’Brien is a violinist/fiddler/singer who has performed & toured with multi-genre groups over two decades.
In Portland she performs regularly within several genres: Django jazz, singer/songwriter music with the Leo Moon Trio, southern rock, sitting in with the Portland Country Underground and others. She jams regularly with swing and old time folks around Portland and has these days a particular affinity for early jazz tunes.
Kate founded Mosaic String Academy (mosaicstringacademy.com) in 2019 which offers students of all ages a unique combination of classical private lessons in violin, viola & cello along with monthly group classes where we explore tons of music. Kate founded Portland Fiddle Camps for Kids (portlandfiddlecamps.com) in 2009 and it’s the highlight of every summer! Come join her and her co-conspirator Sophie Enloe for another awesome camp in 2025!
Melissa Takush has been hosting jams in the Eugene area with Mud City Old-Time Society since 2008. She loves helping folks get connected to the PNW old-time community! Melissa will be hosting slow jams on Friday and Saturday afternoons.
Maja Diettrich-Kennett, now 16 years old and a Junior at Lincoln High School, has been playing fiddle since she was 4. She has led fiddle jams around Portland and performs often at her family’s Hostel and Cafe. She also enjoys singing and was a member of the state middle school choir.
Over the last 10 years, Bubbaville has provided funding, promotion and more for dozens of different projects tied to our mission. The organization has brought to the Portland region numerous performers and teachers. We’ve also funded campouts, albums, dances and more. Have an idea for a project? Let us know!
