2006 Summer Camps

Adult Session II

August 11-20

Peter and Mary Alice Amidon, Jane Peppler

The Amidons, two of Village Harmony’s most beloved adult camp leaders, are back after a year’s hiatus to teach a variety of folk genres from America, including shape-note, gospel, Appalachian, and some of their own great new arrangements of old songs. Returning for her second season at Village Harmony, Jane, a versatile vocal and instrumental musician, will lead Jewish and Klezmer songs, some mariachi and other Latin numbers, and Balkan songs. This will be a fabulous session for those who love to folk dance, for Peter is a great leader of contra- and other American styles, and both Jane and Mary Alice are versatile dance musicians and bandleaders. There will be sure to be a lot of dancing before and after rehearsals, so be prepared. Those singers who play instruments are urged to bring them along for daily classes in dance and folk-song tunes.

The Roundhouse, Colrain, MA

$675

The Roundhouse

This marvelous facility was purpose-built as a retreat center by the owner, story-teller Bekki Tippens. The 14-sided building is filled with ingenious and fanciful detail work. The main room is round, a fabulous singing space with an encircling balcony and 3-story domed ceiling and ample nooks and corners for reading, relaxing and socializing. The majority of the beds are in small sleeping cubbies resembling ships’ berths, radiating off a second floor circular hallway. There are also a number of private sleeping rooms, both in the house and in the adjacent small cottage, plus tent space on the land. Bekki is a gracious host and will help plan menus and help out in the kitchen.

For more information, visit: http://www.roundhouseculture.com/