Classes

Traditions Weeks are broken into five periods. Each period contains a list of available classes. Some classes span multiple periods. Browse the periods below, filter by category, or download this week's schedule.

‍NOTE: Traditions Weeks 2027 info will be available in mid-March, 2027!

Looking to register from OUTSIDE the U.S.? We can help! Email us at commonground@commongroundonthehill.org for assistance, as our payment program does not accept out-of-country payments. We will help process your registration!

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Schedule at a glance

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Evening Events

Art of Old-Time Backup Guitar with Gabriel Furtado

Discover the nuances of old-time backup guitar.

Art of the Bow: Rhythm & Grooves w R Gordon

Three masters of the bow reveal their secrets!

Ballads & Traditional Songs from Scotland and Ireland with Kevin Elam

Learn beautiful traditional songs from Scotland and Ireland, exploring the connections between the two Gaelic lands.

Banning of the Civil Rights Struggle - In Person w C Collyer, P Zappardino

How do several generations of Americans have only a rudimentary understanding of the Civil Rights Movement?

Beautility Upcycled Baskets with Cookie Washington

Use old fabric to create vibrant, functional basket.

Beginners Bootcamp: Hammered Dulcimer w Mary Lynn Michal & Ken Kolodner

Learn everything you need to get started on the hammered dulcimer!

Beginning Guitar - Week 2 IN PERSON w Amy Ferebee

Get to know your guitar and learn some simple tunes.

Beginning Harmonica with Dave Burkitt

Learn to play this portable and fun melodic instrument

Beginning Resophonic Guitar with Carter Giegerich In Person

Learn the fundamentals of resophonic guitar and its role in traditional music and beyond.

Beyond Beginning Mandolin w Jan Fabricius

Have you taken a beginning mandolin course and are ready for the next step? This is it!

Blacksmithing from Beginning to Experiences with & Steve Mankowski

Blacksmithing for all levels.

Crankie Storytelling: Making Moving Pictures w Katherine Fahey & Dan Van Allen

Make an old cigar box into a storytelling machine!

Earth Colors with Pat Brodowski & Ken Koons

THIS CLASS IS CLOSED TO REGISTRATION

Elevate Your Performance w Prof. Louie

Overcome your obstacles and fears, learn how to engage an audience, and elevate your performances.

Folk Songs of Bohemia, Moravia and Slovakia with Bob Rychlik

Singers and musicians (guitar and ukulele especially) will learn the distinctive melodies and harmonies from the heart of Europe.

Hot Tuna Tunes

Bring your mandolin, guitar, harmonica, bass, voices and take part in the true vine of roots music in this rare musical opportunity to learn the music of Hot Tuna!

Improvisation for All Instruments with Michael Ronstadt

Improvising is easy when you break down the necessary skills step by step!

Intermediate/Advanced Hammered Dulcimer with Mary Lynn Michal and Ken Kolodner

Learn at a higher level without needing to slow down for basic concepts.

Intermediate Old-Time Banjo with Lydia Martin

Explore the wide world of Old-Time banjo.

Introduction to Hand Painting Silk Scarves with Yuh Okano

THIS CLASS IS CLOSED TO REGISTRATION

Learn to Play the Celtic/Folk/Lever Harp w Jo Morrison

A beginner's introduction to the Celtic/Folk/Lever harp

Mandolin with Tim O'Brien

Join Grammy Award winner Tim O'Brien for a week of mandolin

Realism to Abstraction (and back!) with James Griffin

THIS CLASS IS CLOSED TO REGISTRATION

Rise Up Singing

Warm up your vocal cords and learn some new songs.

Sawing and Piercing for Jewelry Making with Tina Chisena

Learn sawing and piercing techniques to enhance your jewelry making

Session-Ready Bodhran Patterns with Bill Troxler

Get ready to participate in a Celtic Session by learning the most common tipper patterns

Southern Appalachian FlatFooting and Clogging w Marsha Searle

Come and learn how to keep time with your feet in a class that captures the feel of an old-time music and dance party.

Southwest and Mexican Influenced Mosaics w Lalo Carrera

Learn mosaic techniques while creating a piece inspired by designs of the Sonoran Desert.

Storytelling 101 with Sheila Arnold

Examine the ingredients needed to tell a personal story in such a way as to make it leap off our tongues and into the mind of a listener.

The Indigo Dye Village with Kibibi Ajanku

Illumninating African Origins

Transform Flowers Into Miniature Bouquets in Glass w Debbie Griffin

Create decorative suncatchers with pressed flowers and glass.

Up Close and Personal from Behind the Lens with Stuart Dahne

THIS CLASS IS CLOSED FOR REGISTRATION

Welding is Fun with Thomas Sterner

Discover the art of welding! Learn techniques to build a metal sculpture.

Wheel Good Fun with Nick Corso

Experience the fun of shaping clay on the pottery wheel!

Women in the Military: Where's My Mic? w Eva Fulton & Jose Flores

Learn to own your personal narrative through podcasting. Particularly for female veterans, but all are welcome.

World Village - Mornings

Children enjoy an immersive experience in music, art, dance and more.

Alexander Technique for Musicians with Mary Naden, Pd 2

Learn how central support of the spine makes for easier playing and performing.

Beginning Bluegrass Banjo w Randy Barrett

Learn to play the banjo in the style of the great Earl Scruggs, the cornerstone of bluegrass music.

Beginning Mandolin with Tim Porter

Learn the basics of mandolin chords and accompaniment

Beginning Mountain Dulcimer with Susan Boyer Haley

The mountain dulcimer is known for its beautiful sound and ease of play. It is a great instrument for those who have always wanted to play a stringed instrument but who may have been wary.

Beyond Beginning Ukulele with Gordon Roberts

You have some basic chords memorized - what's next?

Blues Guitar with Sparky Rucker

There's no better way to get started with blues guitar than by learning with Sparky Rucker! For those with basic guitar skills who are ready to get blue.

Blues Harmonica with Rhonda Rucker

Learn the techniques for blues harp with Rhonda Rucker

Bodhran (Irish Frame Drum) for Beginners with Bill Troxler

Learn to play the quintessential Celtic drum with Bill Troxler!

Common Ground on the Hill Veterans Initiative

The Common Ground on the Hill Veterans Initiative invites veterans and civilians to come together in a trusting and supportive environment. This is the workshop that changes lives!

Discovering America and Other Stories: Migrations, Identities and Colonization in Latin America with Amy McNichols

THIS CLASS IS CLOSED TO REGISTRATION

Flatpicking Old-Time Melodies with Gabriel Furtado

Discover how to flatpick old-time melodies on the guitar.

Gear Gremlins: Maximize Your Gear w Phil Spiess and Michael G. Ronstadt

Bring your gear and questions

Intermediate/Advanced Resophonic Guitar w Carter Giegerich In Person

Students with a strong foundation in acoustic lap steel playing will find all the tools necessary to take their playing to the next level

Jug and Skiffle Band with Slim Harrison

If you have something that makes a sound, you can join the band! Let's have a good time!

Leaping Poetry w Barbara Morrison

Explore the poetry of Robert Bly as a starting point to writing your own poems.

Learn to Play the Celtic/Folk/Lever Harp Pt 2 w Jo Morrison

Additional training and personal lesson time, as well as practice time on the harp.

Making Sense of Scales on Guitar w Joe Selly

Everything you wanted to know about scales but were afraid to ask!

Old-Time and Bluegrass Fiddle w Tatiana Hargreaves

Expand your fiddle horizons with bluegrass & old-time fiddler Tatiana Hargreaves

Practice Lab: Research-Based Strategies for All Instruments with Wayne Fugate

All musicians, regardless of level or instrument, can learn to get the most from your practice time with these research-based strategies.

REB3L Groove Hip Hop Dance w Erica Chesnik

REB3L Groove fuses fun hip hop music and choreography for a fun dance fitness experience

Rising Pickers Bluegrass Kids Academy with Sarah Larsen

THIS CLASS IS CLOSED TO REGISTRATION

Scottish Fiddle Repertoire with Ellen Gira

THIS CLASS IS CLOSED TO REGISTRATION

Songwriting with Bob Lucas

Join Bob Lucas in this workshop that will both inspire you and teach you to find the songwriter within yourself.

Storytelling with Steafan Hannigan

Veteran theater, tv and radio storyteller Steáfán Hannigan will help you fine tune your storytelling.

Traditional Songs and Dance Music from Maryland with Peter Brice

Discover the range of traditional songs and dance music from Maryland spanning genres.

Unaccompanied Singing with Alice Gerrard

Unaccompanied or acapella singing is the bedrock of Southern Appalachian song. Experience this tradition with Alice Gerrard

Understanding the Fretboard w Chris James

Get to know the fretboard with a series of manageable tasks.

World of Mandolin with Radim Zenkl (Modern Mando)

THIS CLASS IS CLOSED TO REGISTRATION

Acupressure and Self Care with Greg Padrick

Learn several methods of stimulating acupressure points for self-care as well as for the treatment of friends and family.

Alexander Technique for Musicians with Mary Naden, Pd.3

Learn how central support of the spine makes for easier playing and performing.

Beginning Old-Time Banjo with Lydia Sylvia Martin

Old-time clawhammer basics and more!

Beyond Beginner: Relaxed Pace Hammered Dulcimer w Mary Lynn Michal & Ken Kolodner

Learn some new tunes and skills on the hammered dulcimer at a gentle pace.

Blissful Bobbin Lace (Beginners & Returners) with Katherine La Pietra

It looks hard, but it isn't! Discover the world of hand-made bobbin lace.

Bluegrass Guitar with Chris Luquette

Students who know the basics of playing the guitar can get started down the road to bluegrass bliss with Chris Luquette.

Blues Electric Guitar with Harry Orlove

Learn to play in the styles of B.B. King and others. Get a chance to explore gear and learn how your favorite players get their sound.

Bodhran - Next Steps: Gateway to Great Playing w Bill Troxler

THIS CLASS IS CLOSED FOR REGISTRATION

Build a Mountain Dulcimer with Ken Koons

THIS CLASS IS CLOSED TO REGISTRATION

Building the Ice Man's Arrow with Guy Neal

THIS CLASS IS CLOSED FOR REGISTRATION

Celtic Guitar with Kevin Elam

Learn the guitar style and some tunes of the Celtic tradition.

Chinese Painting and Calligraphy: History and Practice with Qin Fang

An introduction to Chinese calligraphy and painting.

Chord Basics 2.0 for Mandolin In Person w Wayne Fugate

You've got basic chords under your belt - now it's time to get creative! For anyone ready to take chords to the next level.

Diatonic Button Accordion w Peter Brice

Learn the button accordion with Peter Brice!

Ear Training for All Musicians with Radim Zenkl

THIS CLASS IS CLOSED TO REGISTRATION

Fujara and Koncovka Overtone Flutes of Slovakia with Bob Rychlik

Enter the magical world of the overtone flute!

Grounded Warrior Yoga with Erica Chesnik

Nourish your nervous system and connect to our inner sanctuary through gentle movement.

How Can I Keep from Singing? with Susan Haley Boyer

The goal of this class is to enjoy the love of singing, for all levels of experience. A good time will be had by ALL!

Icons of the Blues with Andy Cohen

Connect with icons of the blues with someone who connected and toured with them. This class will feature stories, archival film and recordings, bringing these remarkable artists back to life.

Introduction to Leathercraft with Ty Pittman

Learn the basics of hand crafting leather projects.

Irish Fiddle with Terry O'Neill

Dive into the polka, slides, jigs, reels and hornpipes of County Kerry in Southwestern Ireland!

Jazz Songs Arranged for Mandolin w T Porter & J Selly

Jazz songs for the mandolin, with a nod to Duke Ellington

Jewelry: Unlock the Key of Time with John Sosnowsky

Design jewelry using miscellaneous metal pieces

Let's Paint Outdoors with Pat Brodowski

THIS CLASS IS CLOSED TO REGISTRATION

Make a Scene: Building Blocks of Writing w Barbara Morrison

Whether writing fiction, memoir or narrative nonfiction, your building blocks are dramatic scenes. Learn to build and use effective scenes in writing.

Mandolin with Reed Stutz

Bluegrass mandolin in the style of Bill Monroe, with Reed Stutz

Music Theory for Bluegrass and Old-Time - In Person

Gain a better understanding of the rudiments of music theory as it pertains to traditional music, focusing on the underlying rhythmic, harmonic and melodic structures of bluegrass and old-time.

Nantucket Lightship Baskets with Keith Taylor

THIS CLASS IS CLOSED FOR REGISTRATION

Native American Ceramics and Dreamcatchers with Jeremy Wright

Create a dream catcher, crafting beads and a hand worked form to be decorated with incised details.

Pastels: Color, Markmaking, Form with Tara Will

Learn techniques with pastels

Piano with Professor Louie

Learn to play or improvise on popular songs - no reading required!

Samaritans at the Border - Now Needed Everywhere w Randy Mayer

Explore root causes of immigration and the realities along the border

Singing with Tim O'Brien & Jan Fabricius

Don’t miss this chance to sing with one of Bluegrass/Americana’s great singers, Tim O’Brien and his vocal partner, Jan Fabricius.

Southern Folk Tours w Sparky & Rhonda Rucker

Learn the history of the Southern Folk Tours and sing some of the music from this radical initiative that helped bridge racial divisions.

Stained Glass Camp with Ragtime

Create a stained glass work of art!

Stories and Music Together with Guy Davis

Songs and stories go together. Composers, writers, storytellers, and musicians - let's put them together!

The Art and Craft of Playing Bass with Ralph Gordon

THIS CLASS IS CLOSED TO REGISTRATION

Watercolor for All Seasons w Ellen Elmes

Explore negative space of sky shapes using watercolor painting techniques.

World Village - Afternoons

Children enjoy an immersive experience in music, art, dance and more.

Your iPhone Could Be the Only Camera You Need with Cary Wolfson

Take your cell phone images beyond good photography and into the realm of fine art.

Beginning Fiddle with Terry O'Neill

Gain a solid foundation in the basics of playing the fiddle.

Beginning Folk Piano w Serenity Fisher

Learn to play and sing your favorite songs, accompany a singer, or join in a jam

Beginning Ukulele with Amy Ferebee

Learn to play this friendly little instrument! No music reading skills required!

Blues Mandolin with Chris James

Explore the rich history of Mando Blues with Christopher James!

Celtic Dance: A Ceili! w Marsha Searle

Learn a step dance, a traditional dance, or a little song from the Celtic nations of Ireland, Scotland, or Wales.

Celtic Whistle with Steafan Hannigan

Learn to play a Celtic whistle with Northern Ireland's Steafan Hannigan, author of the definitive book about the Low D whistle.

Crafting a Custom Leather Instrument Strap w Ty Pittman

Make a simple and adjustable leather instrument strap.

Didgeridoo with Radim Zenkl

THIS CLASS IS CLOSED TO REGISTRATION

Drumming for Joy

Learn to make your drum sing!

English Pub Singing Redux: We'll Have Another Round w Peter Brice

Bring your voice, some songs, your ears and an instrument if you wish, and join in the age-old English tradition of song session.

Fear Not! Basic Music Skills Made Simple w Harry Orlove

No matter your instrument, acquire basic musical skills in the simplest way possible, including ear training, chart writing and more.

Getting Started on Your Memoir or Personal Essay w Jerri Bell

Starting with some family photographs, get started on a memoir or personal essay.

Honky Tonk Electric Guitar w Chris Luquette

Chris Luquette goes beyond bluegrass! Dive into the basics of honky tonk guitar with this master musician.

Intermediate Bluegrass Banjo w Randy Barrett

Dig into the things that make bluegrass banjo tick.

Natural Beauty for Everyone w Char Orlove

Learn techniques to feel like the most confident version of yourself.

Nonviolence Is ... What Exactly? - w C Collyer & P Zappardino

Learn the confrontational but nonviolent strategy that Martin Luther King Jr. used to build a broad-based movement for justice and freedom.

Old-Time Fiddle Tunes for Mandolin w Wayne Fugate

The best old-time tunes can be played on the mandolin!

Qi Gong for Health w Greg Padrick

Discover the gentle movements and breathing exercises of Qi Gong.

Rack and Box with Guy Davis

Box and rack is the term used for playing guitar and harmonica on a neck brace at the same time. Try out this distinctive method of music making with blues master Guy Davis

Sacred Storytelling w Sheila Arnold

Hear, learn and discuss stories from various faiths with the goal of building bridges and opening doors.

Singing with Alice Gerrard & Friends

How do you know what key to sing a tune? Who sings harmony? When should there be a break? Learn all this and more with Alice Gerrard and friends.

Songwriting with Professor Louie

Learn how to put your song to music or music to your poem with 5-time Grammy nominee Professor Louie.

Southwestern Guitar with Michael Ronstadt

Explore guitar playing from the perspective of the musical melting pot that defines the music in Tucson, AZ.

Truth Is Freedom w Dan Collins

Learn to identify inaccurate information and judge the validity of sources. Learn to exist confidently in this new media environment.

Big Song Swap

If you love songs, this is the place to be. Come sing, play, or just listen.

Bluegrass Jam & Bluegrass Slow Jam

Here's where you get a chance to use the skills you have learned in class, and just have fun with Bluegrass staff.

Braided: Intricate Hair Designs with Carly Ferguson

Learn the history and importance of braiding in different cultures, as well the basics of creating different types of braids.

Celtic Session

Join in a Celtic session in a supportive and non-judgemental atmosphere. Come play, sing, listen!

Drum Circle Jam

Drum circles are a joyful way to spark creativity, relieve stress, and bring community together - join us!

Four-Prong and Bezel Stacking Rings w Wayne Werner

Explore simple four prong basket settings as well as round bezels while creating silver stacking rings

Introduction to Highland Bagpipe with Wayne Morrison

This beginners class will introduce the rudiments of playing the Great Highland Bagpipe. Students will learn on a practice chanter.

Juke Joint Blues

Learn and share blues repertoire

Old Textiles Reused for New Treasures with Judy Schonebaum

Create beautiful and useful items from materials that would otherwise be thrown away.

Old-Time Jam & Dance

Take the skills you have worked on all day and put them into practice in this welcoming atmosphere.

Search for Common Ground w Walt Michael

The flagship class of Traditions Weeks. In an atmosphere of trust and safety, and inspired by song and story, we will listen to and learn from the voices of our sisters and brothers from communities represented in our circle.

Ukulele Orchestra with Gordon Roberts

This class is all about the joy of making music and not worrying how polished it sounds - and having FUN!

Wine Appreciation with Russ Lorber

Get to know the great variety of wines in a supportive environment.

Gallery Talks

Learn more about the work of our many wonderful Traditions Weeks Visual Arts instructors!

Interracial Gospel Choir w R. Demming

After dinner, Monday – Friday, (6:45–7:45 PM) led by Shelley Ensor Come sing gospel songs and spirituals - make a joyful noise!

Keynote: An Evening with Alice Gerrard

Join an American roots-music icon as she reflects on her songs and stories, with some help from some friends.