Traditional Song Week July 6-12, 2025
Traditional Song Week 2025 Catalog Section
Traditional Song Week celebrates the power and diversity of community singing, taught by renowned practitioners and culture bearers from right here in southern Appalachia and as far away as Scotland and Ireland. For 2025, coordinator Matt Watroba has assembled another top-flight staff to make the magic happen, including Sheila Kay Adams (storytelling and meeting house songs), Kathy Bullock (gospel choir and abolitionist songs), Susan Cattaneo (songwriting), Josh Goforth (shape-note singing and music theory), Sara Grey (ballad interpretation), Reggie Harris (freedom songs), Cathy Jordan (Irish love songs and Child ballads), Zoe Mulford (community singing and ballad styles), Fiona Ritchie (Scottish song), Sally Rogers (songs of Jean Ritchie), Claudia Schmidt (vocal wellness and harmony), and Pat Wictor (vocal improv and guitar).
Traditional Song Week is a program devoted completely to harvesting the rich traditions of roots music by way of singing the songs. This week is a place where you can develop and grow in confidence about your singing, and have lots of fun with other folks devoted to their own song journeys. Come gather with us in community to explore various traditional song genres under the guidance of experienced, legendary instructors. When singers gather together, magical moments are bound to happen! This year, Traditional Song Week is proud to present a gathering of highly influential singers and musicians who have remained devoted over the years to preserving and promoting traditional song. There will be many opportunities for students to perform for an audience. You may choose to focus on writing in the tradition, learning duet harmony, singing ballads from the Appalachian mountains that surround us or from across the ocean, improving your dulcimer or guitar playing, or simply experiencing the healing power of community singing. Many classes allow increased enrollments beyond the standard 15 students. The week will also feature afternoon workshops, concerts, and nightly singing sessions, with ample opportunities to participate. Bring a friend and come join us for a week you will never forget!