Bluegrass Teaching in the 21st Century
On Monday Monday, 27th Sept. as part of this years IBMA conference sessions, Pete Wernick presented a session titled, I’d Like to Teach the World to Jam. Pete, (aka Dr. Banjo) has long held differing views on the process of teaching music to new students and has also been hosting music camps across the USA. Indeed Dr. Banjo has now hosted over 100 bluegrass music camps in 22 states across the USA, and also served on the staff of dozens more. Pete, continues to study what delivers results and makes musicians happy campers.
At his IBMA presentation this week Pete over viewed trends and changes in bluegrass teaching, with an emphasis on what types of teaching is best at helping students stay motivated and achieve their goals. He presented the case that novices should learn to play rhythm and learn to jam before being taught how to play lead, and how developing singing and ear skills are more productive than the rote learning of instrumentals. The more progress a student makes in the early part of this musical development the more likely they are to continue the learning process.
Pete has also recently announced that he is developing an international network of Bluegrass Jamming classes, led by Wernick-certified teachers who will host music classes and camps, specifically utilising Pete’s teaching methods. The first Australian camp is scheduled for 30th April – 2nd May 2011 at Golden Beach on Qld’s Sunshine Coast. Further information will be available soon from Pete’s website.
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