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Appalachian Music
Appalachian Music Program
The Appalachian music program at Warren Wilson College reflects the rich traditions of music and dance of the southern mountains. The Music Department offers a Music Minor with a concentration in Traditional Music that focuses on the music and dance traditions of the southern Appalachian region. Classes are offered in some of the common Appalachian instruments as well as dancing, and students can participate in old-time stringband and bluegrass ensembles as well as learn about the historical development of the music.
Music Minor: Concentration in Traditional Music
The concentration in Traditional Music provides a strong foundation in the traditional vernacular music of North America, with a focus on the music and dance traditions of the southern Appalachian region.
Requirements: A minimum of 22 credits from the following passed with a grade of B- or better.
Prerequisite: MUS 120 Beginning Music Theory (2 cr.) This course is required for students with limited background. It does not count as elective credit for the minor. Students with prior experience may elect to take a placement examination in place of MUS 120.
1. Core (6):
MUS 232 Appalachian Music and Dance (4 cr.)
MUS 202 Applied Music Theory for Traditional Musicians (2 cr.)
2. Applied Music (4): four semesters (1 credit per semester) in one area
MUS 122 Applied Bass
MUS 240 Applied Traditional Music: Fiddle
MUS 242 Applied Traditional Music: Mandolin
MUS 261 Applied Traditional Music: Guitar
MUS 264 Applied Traditional Music: Banjo
Prerequisite for Applied Traditional Music: group class in desired instrument or permission of the instructor. For the concentration in Traditional Music, students need permission of the faculty to fulfill the Applied Music requirement in more than one instrument/area. All Applied Music courses carry a small additional fee per credit hour.
3. Ensembles (4): four semesters (1 credit per semester)
MUS 157 Beginning String Band
MUS 257 Old-Time String Band
MUS 271 Bluegrass Band
4. History & Literature (4): one 4-credit course
MUS 110 Music Appreciation
MUS 114 Music Cultures of Africa, the Mideast, and Latin America
MUS 115 Music Cultures of Asia
MUS 211 American Vernacular Music
MUS 286 Jazz Appreciation
5. Electives (4): four credits selected from any MUS offering (1 credit unless otherwise noted)
MUS 113 Roots of American Folk Music
MUS 134 Beginning Voice (2 cr.)
MUS 140 Old-Time Fiddle I
MUS 141 Old-Time Fiddle II
MUS 142 Mandolin
MUS 155 Appal. Flatfooting and Clogging
MUS 156 Appalachian Square Dance
MUS 161 Beginning Folk Guitar
MUS 162 Flat & Finger-picking Guitar
MUS 164 Old-Time Banjo
MUS 165 Bluegrass Banjo
MUS 169 Old-Time Singing
MUS 180 Appalachian Ballads and Folksongs
MUS 209 Theory/Improvisation (4 cr.)
For more information email: Phil Jamison pjamison@warren-wilson.edu
Appalachian Music Resources
The college has a large collection of recordings of Appalachian music at the Martha Ellison Library and the Kittridge Music Resource Center. Students may also listen to field recordings and concert performances from years at the College Archives.
Appalachian Music & Dance Events
Monday Lunchtime Old-Time Jam Session
Students and faculty join together every Monday at lunchtime throughout the school year for an old-time music jam session.
Appalachian Music Concert Series at Sage Cafe
David Holt at Sage Cafe (2006)
The Appalachian Music Concert Series at Sage Cafe presents a monthly concert of Appalachian music from the region and beyond. These concerts are 7-8 PM, and they open to the public.
| September 5 | Donna Ray Norton - Madison County Ballad Singer |
| October 3 | Erynn Marshall & Carl Jones - Fiddle, banjo, guitar, and songs |
| November 7 | Appalachian Music Faculty Concert |
| November 28 | Elizabeth LaPrelle & Anna Roberts-Gevalt - Ballads & Crankies |
| December 5 | Warren Wilson Old-Time and Bluegrass Band Ensembles |
| December 12 | Appalachian Music Student Concert |
Fiddles and Folklife Festival
Each April, traditional musicians and crafters from the Appalachian region come to the Warren Wilson campus for the Fiddles and Folklife Festival. This event features an old-time music contest for fiddle, banjo, and stringband, as well as music jams, food and craft vendors, folklife demonstrators, and an old-time square dance and cakewalk. www.warren-wilson.edu/~fiddlesandfolklife
The Old Farmer's Ball
The Asheville dance community comes to Warren Wilson every Thursday for a weekly contra and square dance at Bryson Gym. This dance, founded in 1982, has helped make the Asheville area one of the most thriving contra dance scenes in the entire country. In addition to the numerous local musicians and callers from the Asheville region, it has become a popular stop for many nationally-known touring bands and dance callers. www.oldfarmersball.com
The Swannanoa Gathering
Each summer since 1992, musicians and dancers from across the country and around the world have come to the campus of Warren Wilson College during the month of July for week-long sessions of traditional music and dance. The days are filled with classes taught by world-renowned instructors, and the evenings are filled with concerts, dances, and jam sessions that last long into the night. Programs include: Traditional Song Week, Celtic Week, Old-Time Music & Dance Week, Contemporary Folk Week, Guitar Week, Fiddle Week, and Banjo/Mandolin Week. www.swangathering.org