Peter Langston and Tina Webster again directed an enormously successful 18th Annual CBA Music Camp. The faculty lineup was stellar. There were smiles all around all week and the attendees neither froze nor baked during outside classes. We are very lucky to have Peter and Tina.
Justin Hiltner directed our 6th Annual Youth?Academy (the first produced entirely by the CBA)?and it sold out and 50 happy 7-16 year olds are?now armed with new songs, new instrument licks?and new friendships. The faculty consisted of Yoseff Tucker, Jan Purat, Katya Polovina, Josh Gooding, Dana Frankel, AJ Lee and Max Schwartz. CBA VolunTeens Ida Winfree, Megan January and Daisy Kerr were Teaching Assistants. The future for the Academy looks bright!
Montie Elston and Tim Edes came out of retirement to direct yet another amazing event. Kudos to our volunteers and coordinators for all their hard work. We had multiple issues throughout the week with new fire regulations and Montie and Tim solved all our issues and we only started 30 minutes late on Thursday and few people probably noticed. Montie and Tim, because of their years of experience directing the festival, were able to come up with miraculous solutions to seemingly unsolvable problems. It is amazing what a community of volunteers can accomplish when the going gets tough.
Frank Solivan surprised us with his retirement announcement after the last Kids on Bluegrass performance. Frank has dedicated his life to developing this remarkable program now emulated by other organizations and festivals throughout the country. Frank has coached and supported hundreds of young musicians and their families during his 30 year tenure as the Director and founder of Kids on Bluegrass. Sainthood is in his future. Sharon Elliott also retired after 18 years as his assistant. Hats off to these fabulous supporters of our music. The program that Frank built will continue under his tutelage and dedication.
There will be more written in the August issue of the Bluegrass Breakdown. Un- packing is in my future but the glow of the 43rd Annual Festival week will live on.
