MEALS;
Friday Dinner - Spaghetti Dinner with Side Salad

Saturday Continental Breakfast

Saturday Lunch - Soup and Salad with Grilled Cheese 

Saturday Dinner - Grilled Chicken/Tofu, Kimchi Collard Greens, Bread, Rice and Peas

Sunday Continental Breakfast

Sunday Brunch - Bacon, Eggs, Fruit, Pancakes, Breakfast Potatoes

FRIDAY MAY 30 

4pm - load in for campers 

4 - 6pm Dinner meet ‘n greet- Get to know your new songwriting tribe.

6 - 6:45pm Star Talk

Dr. Luke Leisman helps us start the weekend with inspiration from the stars.  Bring your notebooks & phones to gather ideas for your writing & art-making work ahead.

6:45 -7:45pm Starting Songs with Art & Science w/Deb & Sue

Work with Deb to create sketches in your notebook inspired by Luke’s talk. These will then be tied to Sue’s writing prompts from her class “LIGHTNESS” using science writings & Luke’s talk, to create lyrics for a 4 line verse for a new song. 

8 - 9:30pm Feedback Open Mic

Sons start off the night with 1 song, then Jonas shares a song, then Sons invite you to play the main stage: sign up, tune up, bring a song to stage for loving feedback.

9:30 - 10:30pm 1st Star Walk with Luke on the Farm, remember, carry your personal inspiration from the star walk with you for your weekend writing.

SATURDAY MAY 31

7am - Continental Breakfast

7:30am - 9am (Early Bird Session) Improvisation for Singer Songwriters with Sue.

Free up your lyric, melody, performing options, & writing with simple in-class exercises. Using Sue’s wildly popular 11 point improv checklist, you dive into vocalise, jump writing, and expansive performing in this interactive class. 

9 - 10am Morning Prairie Walk with Paul Gaynor. Learn about the savanna’s history and future. Please make sure to have covered shoes and pants. Remember, carry your Prairie Walk inspiration with you for your writing work this weekend.

10 - 11am Intro to Banjo for Guitar Players

Add a new instrument to your arsenal! Jonas will take you through the basics of transferring your guitar skills to the banjo.  4, 30 min sessions will be offered during this time. Each session will accommodate 4 students.  Sign up for a time slot by the coffee station.

10 -10:30 banjo/guitar slot 10:30 -11 banjo/guitar slot

10 – 11:30am Idea Book Making with Deb

Deb will guide folks through the process of building their own mini song-zine from a single sheet of paper. Participants can personalize and decorate their “books” with beautiful cover papers and upcycled collage materials that can then inspire written ideas, poems and songs. All materials will be provided, but feel free to bring along your own special photos or other flat, glue-able imagery to include.

11:30 – 12:30pm Lunch

12:30 – 1:45pm Songwriting Through the Backdoor

A Sons songwriting workshop, and an intriguing peek into 3 different songwriting constructs. Starting out the class with a mini-live performance of 3 songs, each writer steps to the fore to offer up specifics, insight, and notes for their own craft. Stories are shared, song outlines are revealed. A mini in-class writing prompt to close.

2 - 2:45pm Home Recording & Sound Q&A with Bruce

Have  a fun discussion with Bruce about home vs. studio recording. Bring questions about your work and how to proceed with a new album. Talk tech, equipment, editing and performance technique.

3 - 4:15pm Three Notebooks

Jonas Friddle breaks down his method for generating consistent content from any source.  In addition to breaking down the Three Notebooks method, we will apply it to lessons learned from Friday night’s astronomy lesson.

4:15 – 5:30pm Everything is Music- Sue’s new listening,  workshop turning Cage’s 4’3” into a mini, performance-art experience. 

6 - 7pm Dinner time

7 - 8:15pm  Harmony Through the Backdoor

Known for their soaring, original harmonies, Sons offer this unique harmony workshop. They start out by sharing a song, breaking it down, and teaching the class their tips & tricks. Sons demystify the harmony building process and invite students to try the ideas on for size. Some principles discussed in-class will be song-building, breaking tradition, common-notes, and arranging. Q & A to follow.

8:30 -10pm Feedback Open Mic

Sons start with 1 song, then Jonas does 1 song and & then ALL are invited to play the main stage where you will; sign up, tune up, bring a song to stage for loving feedback.

10 -11pm Night Sky Walk and Talk with Luke- Wrap up the day looking at the stars. Bring your notebooks and phones to capture ideas for your writing work.

SUNDAY JUNE 1

7am  Continental Breakfast

7:30 - 8:30am  (Early Bird Session) Dynamics for your Singing & Writing Voice w/Sue

Sue will share ideas & expand your dynamic choices as a performer & a writer through a series of in class prompts using your own work or covers! Each attendee will perform anew using one of the dynamic principles to close the class.

8:30 - 10am The Art of the Jam

Jonas leads an example jam to demonstrate the core elements that make any social music gathering a success.

10 - 10:45am One on One Spots

Sign up with any staff member for a 15min one on one consultation

10 – 11:00am Guitar Maintenance - Bruce shows us how to care for our instrument.

11:15 - 11:30am  Twelve Minute Songwriting Challenge  w/Sue

11:30 – 1pm Lunch & Feedback Open Mic

Time to share what you wrote, a partial song, or a song you have been working on prior to the retreat, for feedback. We all eat lunch while listening & performing at open mic.

1:30 – 2:45pm Staff Concert - gather in the barn and enjoy a concert from Jonas & Sons.