Sorry I keep hitting something that sends the post before Im done.THe Female Acadamy was opened in 1792 and closed in 1833 here in Litchfield Connecticut USA ..
                        
                        Anyway the popular instroments around here in that period were wooden flute( These and clarenetts and flagoletts were all made by a local maker in "fluteville . Either chello or older style Viola De Gamba (Viol ) are a possobility for the bass line .It would be great if they still had serpents in use. Fiddle most deffinatly was the poular lead instroment . Tons of forte Piano was also coming in . At the time a young woman put into her diary dec 2nd " A pritty Agreeable ball" . So I gues they were more likly called Balls and Catilians (also the name of a particular dance ) then barn dances.
          Localy the guitar got popular in the 1845 to 1860 period. John Ashburn in Torington made more guitars between those dates then Martin did in that whole century . Mass produded 10 miles from Litchfield in Torington .
             Great thread . All the best , Guy