In it’s fourteenth year, the Bulkley Valley Folk Music Society’s guitar camps are strumming up to be another highly successful event.
Cheryl Hofweber first attended the adult guitar camp (there is also a camp dedicated to children aged 10-to-18) in its inaugural year in 1997. A closet guitar player, she would just play quietly at home, strumming along to her favourite tunes until she was invited to this guitar camp.
Figuring she’d try the classes, at first she had no desire to perform in the concert at the end of the week-long retreat, but as things progressed, she began to change her mind and fully took part.
“I went from a timid musician to performing at music festivals, I’ve made my own CD and have begun writing my own music,” she said. “That’s not something I’d be able to do.”
These camps are just a fantastic opportunity to have in your own hometown and has brought participants from as far away as Scotland, Texas, Chicago and Alaska turning up for the music and instructor rich week.
Last year was the first year they’ve had all local instructors on board, which was such a hit that this year they decided to do the same, Hofweber said.
“People just loved it so much they said to do it again,” she said.
Instructors this year are Jenny Lester, who will be going over easy songs and beginner melodies as well as bluegrass and roots music rhythm. Mark Perry will be instructing folks on songwriting and accompanying oneself with guitar, while Ben Brooks will go over acoustics, improvisation, chord construction and theory. Scott Atchison will give an introduction to open tuning and fingerstyle guitar, and Mark Thibeault will teach flatpicking bluegrass style as well as give an introduction to soloing. Rounding out the list of locals who have come together to share their musical know-how is George Stokes, teaching beginner guitar, and introduction to swing, as well as a variety of mini courses.
Instructors teach pupils of all abilities, first for the youth and then for the adults, so there really is something for everyone. Whether it’s learning beginner chords and strumming to finger picking and bluegrass, every year there’s something new and exciting to learn, which is why Hofweber has gone every year since her first, going into it with more enthusiasm as time goes by.
“I go in, thinking somehow I’ll be different, at the end I will be different,” Hofweber said.
And as this year’s camps quickly approach, she hopes others will take part. Adult or child, there’s always something new to learn, new experiences to have and with a camp like this that keeps classes small, it is its own community, little family, out there.
The BVFMS Smithers younger guitar camp runs from Aug. 9 to 13. Together with the instructors, the kids will show off their new skills at a concert on Aug. 15 at the Della Herman Theatre at 7:30 p.m.
The concert is open to all and tickets are available at Mountain Eagle Books.
The adult guitar camp will follow fro Aug. 15 to 20.
For more information, contact bvfmsinfo@gmail.com.