Stringmania Camp is returning to Arrabri Lodge in Warburton for its 8th annual camp and will be presenting a public concert ‘A Festival of Strings’ for the local community at The Memo, Healesville on Saturday 30 September.
Last year’s camp was a triumphant return after moving online for two years and artistic director Chris Stone said there’s so much excitement and gratitude at getting to spend a week
back together in person.
“We are sharing traditional and new music from around the world in such a gorgeous location,” he said.
Stringmania is an immersive residential camp for musicians who are passionate and curious about traditional and contemporary string music, who seek musical, cultural, and personal enrichment through the support of an open minded, vibrant, and inclusive community, providing a forum to explore identity as multicultural Australian musicians.
Musicians of all ages from across the country and around the world gather in Warburton to learn from some of the top performers and music educators in the field. A
standout feature of the camp is a wholistic learning model that creates a village-like atmosphere where all participants can choose their own adventure, learn from and share with their peers, offer skill swaps, or skip classes and jam under the trees.
Creativity and individuality is valued and encouraged, giving students a unique opportunity to experience being accepted for who they are, and being supported to find and express their inner musical voice.
It’s the kind of experience that inspired a camper from last year to write:
‘I genuinely had the best week of my life at the Stringmania Camp. I was amazed by the wonderful sense of community of all walks of life united through a love of folk music and such incredible freedom of expression; dancing, singing, musicing, laughing! I look back on all these memories with pure joy and am so excited for the next one!”
A highlight at the end of each camp is their public concert. After a week of intensive music-making, Stringmania bursts onto the stage to share the energy, joy, and creativity of the camp.
The camp tutors collaborate to perform a taste of their own music in the first half, before the entire camp takes the stage by storm for a rollicking, exhilarating celebration of the power of musical connection and community.
They’ll perform music learned, created, and improvised over the camp packed with fiddles, cellos, basses, banjos, guitars, mandolins, dancers, drums, voices and more. Expect vibrant, gorgeous, and energising traditional and new music, dance and song, a warm, inclusive atmosphere, and a big party vibe.
This year’s guest tutors include traditional and contemporary Tibetan musician Tenzin Choegyal, Irish fiddle icon Ado Barker, leading Sydney based jazz guitarist Felix Lalanne, Australian percussion guru Greg Sheehan, and the new co-artistic directors of the National Folk Festival Chris Stone (fiddle) and Holly Downes (Double Bass), amongst many others.
Holly Downes said ‘that we’re so excited to share these wonderful musicians and the energy and passion of the camp with the local community at The Memo.
“We’ve had fantastic concerts there in the past, and absolutely love the venue.,” she said.
You can find out more about Stringmania Camp at www.stringmaniacamp.com, and find details about the ‘A Festival of Strings’ concert at https://www.yarraranges.vic.gov.au/Experience/Events/Stringmania-Presents-A-Festival-of-Strings
