2026 Litchfield Stage
The Litchfield Stage will feature workshops, jams, performances and more!
(All Schedules Subject to Change)
2026 Schedule
Thursday
9:00-10:00 Yoga -A classical musician turned bluegrass fiddler, Sundari Birdsall (RYT 200) teaches hatha yoga and emphasizes deep breathing and self-reflection. Her 60-minute classes include centering and postures suitable for all levels. Calming fiddle tunes will be played during final relaxation. Please bring water and a yoga mat or towel.
4:30-5:15 Bluegrass Music Deep Dive– Bluegrass music developed in the 1940s as a distinct genre of American folk music. It draws influences from blues, celtic, jazz, country, and pop. The typical bluegrass band consists of 4-7 players who sing and accompany themselves on the banjo, fiddle, mandolin, guitar, bass, and dobro. Learn more about the music, sing some vocal harmony, and learn the basics of bluegrass jamming in this bluegrass music deep dive. Bring an instrument if you can.
5:30-6:15 Song Writing/Arranging Process For Bands-The Cody Sisters will share insight on the full process of how they write and develop a song into something that is performed onstage. They will discuss arranging songs in a way that is innovative while still staying true to a background in bluegrass music.
6:30-7:15 Bass and Rhythm Guitar w/ Horton, Carlen, Beekman- The bass is the foundation of a bluegrass song. The guitar and the snare drum (mandolin or dobro) are the rhythmic complement to the bass. Come hear how it all works, showing how the bass DRIVES the music and the other instruments help form the feel and rhythm.
7:30-8:15 A performance by The Blurs – An acoustic trio featuring groove, drive, dynamic musicianship, powerhouse vocals, and rich three-part harmonies — get BLURRED! Featuring Jeff Horton, Matt Carlin, and Gary Beekmann, members of The Jeff Horton Band and born from The Jamblers. Two-time Rhode Island Bluegrass Hall of Fame inductee Jeff Horton has been a New England bluegrass fixture for nearly 50 years and a workshop leader for more than 20. Matt Carlin’s imaginative guitar work has led Wide Open Spaces for two decades, while multi-instrumentalist Gary Beekmann brings decades of musical experience on bass, guitar, dobro, mandolin, and banjo.
Friday
9:00-10:00 Yoga A classical musician turned bluegrass fiddler, Sundari Birdsall (RYT 200) teaches hatha yoga and emphasizes deep breathing and self-reflection. Her 60-minute classes include centering and postures suitable for all levels. Calming fiddle tunes will be played during final relaxation. Please bring water and a yoga mat or towel.
11:00 -12:45 Beginner Slow Jam with Jordan Richmond–Join Jordan and his dobro for a nice slow jam where all you need is three chords and the truth. Maybe even two chords or less! All are welcome to just hang back, or pick a nice slow one. He’ll be sure to help if you need a hand!
1:00 Asheville Mountain Boys “What Happened To Bluegrass?” AMB will demonstrate traditional bluegrass vocal and instrumental techniques that aren’t utilized much in current bluegrass practices. The workshop will include specific vocal harmonies and instrumental rhythmic approaches from yesteryear.
2:00 Monroe Style Mandolin with Lauren Price Napier-Join Lauren for a glance at some of the hallmarks of Bill Monroe’s style of mandolin playing. She’ll discuss key characteristics like left & right hand dynamics, note choice, and tone production. Bring your questions!
3:00-3:45 Fiddlers Three ( Performance)– Ellen Carlson, Melissa Bragdon Caron and Kathy Zimpfer Sommer, veterans of fiddling in many styles, are inspired by Chuck Berry, Bob Wills, sultry violin, country twang, contra dance, and the sound of bluegrass, focusing on some of Bill Monroe’s classic fiddle tunes – Wheel Hoss, Big Mon, and more.
4:00-Break
5:00 DownRiver Collective, Band Songwriting– In this interactive workshop, this IBMA Momentum Award-winning band breaks down how they write 100% original music together, turning riffs, stories, and melodies into powerful, performance-ready songs. Whether you’re a writer or a fan, this is a rare look at how great songs are built from the ground up.
6:00-6:45 Gibson Brothers: Duet Harmony–The Gibson Brothers share their unique style of duet singing, where it came from and how it fits in the long tradition of duet singing in roots music.
7:00-7:45 A performance with The Blurs–An acoustic trio with an eclectic setlist featuring groove, drive, and dynamics. Powerhouse vocals with rich three part harmonies. Get BLURRED!!
8:00-8:45 JigJam: The Crossover between Bluegrass music and Irish music- Explore the similarities and differences between Irish reels and bluegrass tunes as well as the influence of old Irish melodies on bluegrass songs. We will cover the differences between Irish trad sessions and bluegrass jam sessions such improvisation, ornamentation, backup and the different types of Irish tunes. We will also demonstrate our methods of arranging a set of bluegrass and Irish tunes.
Saturday
9:00-10:00 Yoga
11:00-11:45 How Are We Doing? Sit down with some of the Podunk Board of Directors to share what’s working and how we can improve.
12:00-12:45 Bass Workshop with Jeff Horton (The Blurs) and Rick Brodsky (Rock Hearts)- Learn the basics, tips, and techniques to be a better bass player.
1:00-1:45 Jordan Richmond’s Dobro Sessions-Jordan will be discussing more advanced concepts, such as melodic style and fiddle tune arrangements on the dobro.
2:00 Jam with the Pioneer Valley Flamethrowers– known for hosting some of the most entertaining and accessible jams in New England, they are hot pickers, but silly, and welcoming as all get up.
3:00 Becky Buller & Donna Ulisse: Sisters of Song Songwriting workshop–Two singer songwriters who share a love for teaching about the craft of songwriting. These “Sisters Of Song” will be speaking on their process, offering insight to inspiration, lyric and melody.
4:00-5:00 Dinner Break
5:00-5:45 The Unified Theory Of The Banjo by Ned Luberecki–Come learn everything there is to know about the banjo from 2018 IBMA Banjo Player of the Year and Banjo Hall of Famer, Ned Luberecki! From the correct way to change strings to the perfect banjo lick, and how to develop a taste for only the best bridges, to discussing the banjo’s place as the scientifically proven best instrument in the universe. Nothing will not be covered in this whizzbang of a workshop!
6:00 Rick Faris Guitar Workshop– This class focuses on building ideas and licks. We’ll cover a small amount of scale work, but for the most part, the emphasis is on being imaginative with rhythm and neighboring-note ideas. The goal is to inspire you to explore your fretboard, become more familiar and comfortable with it, and begin improvising with confidence. Rick will also cover essential tips for keeping your guitar well fed and watered and in prime fighting shape.
7:00-7:45 Mandolin Workshop Q&A, Thomas Cassell (Woodbox Heroes)– Come explore the mandolin with IBMA Momentum Instrumentalist and National Mandolin Champion Thomas Cassell! All levels of skill are welcome.
8:00-8:45 Road-map to Bluegrass and Country Fiddle Mastery w/ Austin Scelzo–Austin shares a guide to breaking down the skills necessary to thrive in settings that involve improvisation, harmony, chords, back-up, and rhythm playing on the fiddle, divided into three main branches: Melody, Harmony, and Rhythm. Bring a fiddle and expect to play 80% of the time, working on skills like double stops, shuffle bowings, and improvisation.
Sunday
9:00-10:00 Yoga– bring water and a yoga mat or towel.
