Our new rural study centre, on our 14 acre smallholding, is situtated in the heart of South Shropshire Hills and has been created to provide relaxed holiday courses with well-known tutors from the folk world - Mary Humphreys & Anahata - long weekend of Fenland tunes for melody instruments (preferably in the keys of D & G - melodeon friendly), Harvey Andrews - lyric writing, melody, and performance. Suitable for both beginners and seasoned veterans of all ages and both sexes, the emphasis is on enjoyment and shared activity. , George Papavgeris - “Songwriting for the Unsuspecting”, John Kirkpatrick - looking at arrangements and accompaniments, for both songs and tunes, Pete Coe - Pete presents a series of informal themed workshops celebrating songs from English traditions including classic ballads, rural & seasonal songs, industrial & political broadsides and sea songs & shanties, etc., Cloudstreet - A week of song and skill-building with Nicole Murray and John Thompson who will guide you through the discovery and joy of song. Hopefully, Norma Waterson and Martin Carthy will have time to tutor a course - keep your eye on the website. The courses range from weekend to one week and lunches are included in the fee. The groups will be small and friendly - between 6 and 10 students as a rule. Caravans, Camper vans and tents are all welcome, or, alternatively we can provide a list of accommodation providers.

Mountain Arts Gathering, acoustic music camp for adults on the beautiful lake-shore campus of Paul Smith's College in the Adirondack mountains of upstate New York - held in July

The Mountain Laurel Autoharp Gathering brings together autoharp practioners and enthusiasts from around the world for five days of workshops, concerts and 'round the clock music-making. For over 18 years, MLAG has had concerts and workshops from some of the folk world's best musicians -- and they come just because no matter what they're famous for, they also happen to play the autoharp.

We host a three-day music camp called the O’Flaherty Irish Music Retreat where we teach traditional Irish music on fiddle, flute, harp, whistle, Uilleann pipes, guitar, mandolin, bouzouki, tenor banjo, accordion, concertina, bodhran and piano. We also have classes in singing in both Irish Gaelic and English and a large number of music enrichment classes. Seven internationally-respected Irish players will join the teaching staff this year as guest instructors including Matt Cranitch and James Kelly on fiddle, Mick Moloney on tenor banjo, Mickey Dunne on Uilleann pipes, June McCormack on flute, Pat Egan on guitar and Danny O’Flaherty on singing ballads. The retreat is always held the last weekend in October in Midlothian, Texas at a comfortable, scenic camp there. For more information, please visit our website at www.oflahertyretreat.org. The event is organized by the Traditional Irish Music Education Society, a non-profit group whose mission is “to assist and encourage people in their learning and playing of traditional Irish music through educational programs and performance events.”

Conference to be held Aug. 6-9, 2005 at Goddard College, Plainfield, VT., USA. Featuring singer-songwriter Deidre McCalla, writer and activist Grace Paley, and host of other storytellers, writers, activists, musicians, all focused on the transformative power of music, writing and storytelling. Email: TLAconference@goddard.edu