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Podunk Kids Bluegrass Academy

Again this year, Podunk is offering an instructional & performance program for young bluegrass musicians aged 7-17. Individual and group instruction will be provided.

It is FREE for festival attendees, and includes two days of rehearsals and a performance on the Main Stage, Sunday.

Each participant will receive a free t-shirt to wear for the performance on Sunday.

Kids 14 and under are admitted free to Podunk. Kids 15 and up need a ticket to attend the festival. The Kids Academy does not give family members free admission to the festival.

Children seven to seventeen are invited to participate, regardless of their ability to play an instrument or sing.  Requirements:  must be able to attend all rehearsals and the performance on Sunday; and Must supply his or her own instrument (guitar, mandolin, fiddle, banjo, or bass).

Check out pictures from the program!

See what parents had to say about our program!

Our Instructors

This year’s program will be provided by members of the Rhode Island Bluegrass Alliance (RIBA) Click here for instructor bios

Meeting Times

Friday – 6:00 – 7:00 pm Meet & Greet and ice cream
Saturday – 10:00am – 12:00 pm first session, 12:00-1:00 lunch for academy participants, 1:00 – 3:00 pm second session
Sunday – 11:30 AM get ready for the show, 12:35 AM Performance on the Main Stage!

*If your child will not be able to attend the Friday evening Meet and Greet session, please e-mail Sal Sauco at salsauco@gmail.com.

Songs we’ll be learning will be:

1. Fireball Mail (Key of G)
2. Old Joe Clark (Key of A)
3. Extra Song – Sittin’ Alone in the Moonlight (Key-TBD)
*Subject to change

Registration

Pre-registration is not required (yes, walk-ups welcome), however we do ask that you pre-register your child so that we can better prepare and provide the best experience possible.

If you have any questions about Kids Academy, please e-mail Sal Sauco at salsauco@gmail.com.

Recommendations

We recommend that students bring a tuner to class with them. This can be an electronic tuner (such as those made by Intellitouch), a tuning fork, or pitch pipe. Guitar and banjo students should bring a capo suitable for their instrument.

Podunk Bluegrass Music Festival is extremely grateful for The IBM Community Grant it received to help run our Kids Academy.IBMlogo