Tony O’Rourke

An accomplished multi-Instrumentalist on guitar, tenor banjo, Irish bouzouki and mandolin, Tony began playing music as a teenager in the northern suburbs of Melbourne playing hard rock and anything else above 100 decibels! He also dabbled in finger style and folk guitar eventually falling in love with jazz guitar. Later he began flat picking and followed up with Irish music sessions and the rest is history. Tony has played alongside some of the most respected names in bluegrass and Irish music. He has written a number of books, has won or been placed in a number of musical competitions and has released three CDs of Irish Music.

Location:

Northern end of the Social Club building.

Times:

** Irish Tunes Workshop: This will be open to anyone playing Irish tunes on any instrument. For these workshops participants receive a small booklet comprising some tunes, a bit about picking technique, sometimes scales and include a CD of the music played at a moderate tempo to take home with them. There is no charge for this.

Bruce Watson

Bruce is a multi award winning song writer and experienced workshop leader who has conducted workshops at major festivals and other events across Australia and internationally. His focus is on having fun with the instrument because that is what motivates you to keep playing and improving.

Location:

Northern end of the Social Club building

Times:

Saturday 3:00pm – 4:30pm – Ukulele for beginners and intermediate players (with songs that don’t suck)
Join the ukulele tsunami! It’s the easiest, funnest instrument going and you’ll be playing a tune in 5 minutes. And easy tunes don’t have to be dull and boring. Tunes will be arranged with easy parts for beginners but will also have scope for more advanced parts and techniques for those with more experience.

Sally Carter

Location:

Northern end of the Social Club building.

Times:

Sunday 11:00am – 12:00pm – Tablature and Ukulele Ensembles
Learn how to read tablature, to understand timing and time signatures in written music and how this relates to the tablature. What fingering to use on the fretboard. How to pluck the strings – what fingering to use, or whether to use a plectrum. Look at and discuss a simple tune arranged as an ensemble – melody, harmony parts and chords, play through all the parts and assign different people to play the different parts. Talk about how to play chords in an ensemble setting.

Sunday 1:00pm – 2:30pm – Playing in a Ukulele Ensemble
Look at, discuss and play another ensemble tune/s. Look at different strumming patterns that suit playing in an ensemble where melody and harmonies are being played. Look at different plucking patterns. Another discussion on fingering to use for the plucking hand. Talk about techniques in ensemble playing – how to start, how to maintain an even time and tempo, ideas on arranging, how to end.

Jose Garcia

While embracing a variety of styles, Jose has never forgotten his folk and country roots. “Music is for everyone” he says and so he becomes somewhat of a “musical evangelist”, running jam sessions, playing in various bands and promoting music participation wherever he can. If you like John Denver and Johnny Cash there is a good chance you’ll like Jose.

Location:

The Jam marquee.

Times:

Saturday 10:00am – 11.00am – Jamming With Others
Or “how to play music with strangers.” A fun and informal workshop that explores and breaks down the acoustic jamming process for the purpose of understanding. For all levels.

Saturday 3:00pm – 3:30 Stagecraft at Jose’s Hotspot
Stagecraft basics – from jamming to performing. A quick look at the basics with the aim of enabling participants to perform on stage the following day. Topics will include microphone technique using both dynamic and condenser microphones with particular focus on traditional single-mic technique.

Keith Rea

Location:

Northern end of Social Club building.

Times:

Sunday 3:00pm – 4:00pm – Basic finger picking for baritone ukulele.
How to choose which finger picking pattern works best for the song being played. How to change finger picking patterns throughout a song. How the chord being played affects the finger picking pattern being used. Basic knowledge of chords required.

Graeme Johnson

Location:

Poet’s Corner marquee

Times:

Saturday 11:00am – Poetry Workshop
Performing techniques.

Sunday 11:00am – Poetry Workshop
Writing techniques.