Mountaingrass Workshop Schedule Now Released.
Mountaingrass has released the workshop schedule for the 2023 festival. It includes some of the essential elements of any bluegrass festival but has some interesting additions too. This year’s event has instrument workshops for beginners including guitar, banjo and mandolin. Also featured is workshops on performance skills, tips on promoting your band and old-time mandolin.
Other workshops focus on getting you playing along with others through jam sessions and picks ranging from slow jams to other lead sessions for more experienced players.
Mountaingrass Raffle
This year’s Mountaingrass raffle features a unique Mountaingrass banjo made by NZ luthier, Johan van der Gaag. Johan has donated this ‘Mountaingrass’ banjo as the first prize in this year’s raffle.
Living in New Zealand Johan has utilised some of New Zealand’s beautiful native timbers in this banjo. The fretboard is Puriri and the back, which is turned (not laminated), is made from Taraire another native NZ timber. The pan is made from Black Maire, a very hard wood. The neck and the rim are made from Black Walnut.
Johan also makes guitars and mandolins and he will have some on display at our instrument maker’s stand this year. Johan runs workshops in New Zealand at his place where you can build your own instrument. You can even stay on site at his farm-stay in a real hobbit house.
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