Join The Northern Lights Bluegrass and Old Time Music Society August 11 - 15, 2025!
Early Bird Registration Ends June 30th! See our classes and instructor lineup below
SKILL LEVELS
The Northern Lights Music Camp provides a friendly, non-competitive environment for musicians of all ages and skill levels. Perhaps you are just getting started in music? Or you are a skilled player looking to hone your skills? We have a class for you.
Skill Level Descriptions –
Please sign up for the class that best describes your current skill level. If you are uncomfortable on your first day of class, you’ll have the option to discuss changing classes.
Please note that depending on demand and available instructors, not all skill levels are available for each instrument.
You are relatively new to your instrument. You have been taking a few lessons or learning through how-to videos and are looking for a solid base to be established. You want to know about correct posture, how to best hold the pick or bow, how to improve chord formation, tips on tuning and intonation, and you want to begin playing songs. You need to be introduced to good study/practice habits, how to read music or tablature, and developing excellent technique.
You are progressing on your instrument. You are ready to start to play with other musicians and you can already play a few tunes from memory. You can play along with a CD if it is at medium speed. You are feeling that you need a booster to get you moving toward the next level. You have a solid grasp of all the basic techniques for your instrument and may be able to read tablature or music.
You are looking for fine tuning tips on how to improve your playing. You can jam with others, improvise fairly well on new tunes and are (or want to) play in an organized band. Your tab/music reading skills are great. You know some scales and how to use them in improvisation situations. Your speed is improving as you use your metronome. You have an arsenal of tunes you can play from memory. You play your instrument or practice almost every day.
YOUTH CLASSES
About: Emma Finch is a multi-instrumentalist who started playing the violin as a child. Starting out in fiddle, trying out some classical and blues she is happy to have found her stylistic home in old-time fiddle. She plays double bass with the bluegrass and country band ‘Mary-Liv’ and is happy to fill in wherever a bass is needed! She participates in several organizations in her home of Saskatoon including Northern Lights Bluegrass and Old-Time Society and the Saskatoon Blues Society. In addition to music, she is working on completing her PhD in research science.
Class Description: For children who are starting their instruments but don’t feel quite ready for the beginner level class, youth bluegrass is the perfect fit! Emma will be focused on getting this multi-instrumental class learning tunes and playing music together. From ages 7-12 this is a great way to introduce children to the fun of playing together and to bluegrass and old time music.
Notes: While open to students who have just started their instrument, please contact the instructor if you think your child may benefit from some preliminary materials. This will ensure everyone gets the most from their camp experience!
Come escape to the forest with your Littles.
Our program will run parallel to the instruction provided to attendees of the music workshops. Two instructors, experienced in exploring the boreal forest, will guide and support your young ones. We will spend adult “class” hours together learning, playing and building connections with the natural world. Our instructors will come equipped with tools for wood craft; nets for pond dipping and hammocks for cloud gazing. We will look for insects, build fairy houses and forts and wander and wonder amongst the trees.
Children will need to bring: sturdy shoes, water bottles in backpacks and sun hats for shade. Snacks will be provided as part of the meal plan and resources as part of our programming.
If your child has any special educational needs, please let us know. We can support their learning with additional, trained and experienced staff. Funding is available for these circumstances. Please enquire with us to find out more.
If you have any questions about our programming, just send us an email.
With love,
Wild Sky Adventure Learning
wildskylearning@gmail.com
BANJO CLASSES
About: Jaxon Lalonde is the banjo player for Jake Vaadeland and the Sturgeon River Boys and a founding member of bluegrass band the Local Group. He has been playing banjo for 15 years and has performed as a multi-instrumentalist in different musical outfits for most of that time, recording, touring and jamming across Canada, the US and Europe.
Class Description: In beginner banjo, we will start with the very basics of learning how to hold and tune the banjo properly, and by the end of it you will have the knowledge to play a few tunes and follow along in bluegrass jams. Roll patterns, chord shapes, how to find simple melodies and technique will all be covered. Complete beginners are accepted but it is recommended to try and learn one or two simple rolls on your own first.
About: Known for his taste and creativity, Chris Quinn is an award-winning banjo legend. A founding member of Heartbreak Hill, The Foggy Hogtown Boys, and currently The Tone Rangers. Countless recordings plus performances with such bluegrass legends as Vassar Clements, Kenny Baker, and Bill Monroe have made Quinn a fixture. Possessing an encyclopaedic knowledge of bluegrass and its history, Chris has been a major influencer and teacher for decades.
Class Description: Students in Intermediate/advanced bluegrass banjo should be expected to be able to play a couple of basic bluegrass songs on their banjos.
We will focus on finding melodies to songs, chord inversions, rhythm, backup playing, getting the best tone from your banjo, improving your speed.
About:
Elliot got his start as a performer playing bass in his dad’s 70s rock cover band during his formative years in Hong Kong. After highschool he planted his feet firmly on the path of music and moved to Canada where he attended Edmonton’s Grant MacEwan Community College earning a Diploma in Contemporary Music Performance, and quickly fell in love with traditional music from both sides of the Atlantic.
Since picking up the instrument in 2009, Elliot has performed as banjoist with a wide array of artists including widely acclaimed troubador Scott Cook, recent CFMA winning songwriter and fiddler Braden Gates, and Albertan country/bluegrass act The Ospreys. He has experimented with the clawhammer style in a Celtic context with Spencer Murray’s Pipeslinger and its precursor Banjpipe, and enjoys exploring new approaches to the instrument in his eponymous solo project. He is also sought after as a lapsteel guitarist, and still loves to rock out on the bass.
Elliot got to attend the camp in 2021 having accompanied Pamela Mae in her winning submission to that year’s songwriting competition, and had a great time. He looks forward to returning in 2025 as an instructor!
Class Description:
The clawhammer style of playing the banjo is the essence of old-time, and I love it, and love to share my passion for it.
If you’re new to the instrument or the style, we’ll cover some basic technique and musicality to get you bum-diddying your way through some fun, traditional tunes.
For those with some experience in the style already, we’ll investigate ways that you can spice up your melodies and add flair to your playing with more advanced techniques.
We’ll learn through building a few tunes from the ground up with a focus on getting the melodies under our fingers and then developing them, but we’ll also look at how we can provide beautiful accompaniment for our fellow pickers and never get lost in the tune!
FIDDLE CLASSES
About: Joseph was born and raised in Ile-a-la Crosse, a small Metis community in Northern Saskatchewan. He was taught by John Arcand when he was 10 years old to play the Metis fiddle and has since then branched out into a few other styles of fiddle playing, though he finds it hard not to turn every tune he plays Metis. Joseph has finished his Bachelor of Science degree majoring in Biomedical Neuroscience and is now looking to undertake Medical School and Postgraduate doctoral studies. Joseph has played for many events and people over his 11 years of fiddle playing. From large events like Back to Batoche all the way to a small supper for his family and friends, he isn’t picky about who, what, when, or where he plays the fiddle.
Class Description: This class will guide you in learning fundamental techniques of playing the fiddle, with lots of time to explore questions from students and become more comfortable with the instrument. Being a Metis fiddle player Joseph will incorporate bits of Metis fiddle into his instruction plan.
About: Braden Gates is at once the quintessential folk singer and a highly exceptional one. His songs are both workmanlike and full of emotional nuance, and they are delivered by a performer who is both a masterfully unassuming storyteller and a blazing-hot instrumentalist – one UK publication called him a “born raconteur.” Based in Edmonton, Alberta, Braden sets his songs wherever he is – this is music rooted unquestionably in the real world, as interpreted by a deeply compassionate writer who nonetheless sees the humour and absurdity of it all. Braden is a member of the Alberta Society of Fiddlers and has taught both guitar and fiddle and workshops and camps throughout the years. He is a two time finalist at the Canadian Grand Master Fiddling Championships and Canadian Folk Award winner.
Class Description: Sharing tunes and knowledge, Braden will explore a range of ideas to help build your fiddling toolkit. Braden aims to help each player improve their own skill set by demonstrating different musical ideas and working on learning tunes by ear. Intermediate fiddlers can expect to build their repertoire while working on technique and building speed.
About: Kieran Poile is a fiddle player and composer from Whitehorse, Yukon. He plays with bands throughout Canada, including Veranda, The Lucky Ones, and Hacklefeather, and has performed or composed with acts such as Basia Bulat, L’il Andy, the Barr Brothers and Hawksley Workman. He is excited to be performing and teaching with Veranda at the Northern Lights Bluegrass Festival at the beautiful Ness Creek site in Saskatchewan.
Class Description: Over the course of the week, Kieran will focus on improv and solo skills by incorporating this into the teaching of 3-4 new tunes. Classes will also combine specific techniques such as bow chopping (“chucking”) and the different ways to accompany a bluegrass and old-time band as a fiddle player.
MANDOLIN CLASSES
About: Michael Taylor is a Saskatoon based mandolin player. Growing up in Saskatchewan, Michael found himself drawn to Northern Lights where he fell in love with the music and the people.
Michael is an active and involved part of the music community in Saskatoon, whether playing shows with his band 5 Guys Named Dave or participating in local jams and dances. Michael has a commitment to be an active and engaged member of the community and is always on the lookout for ways to include others in the joy of music.
Michael has played as part of the house band for 9 Mile Legacy Brewing, Northern Lights Bluegrass & Old Time Music Festival and occasionally guest appears with the Screaming Es. Michael is known for his musicianship, charismatic teaching, sense of humor, and ability to connect with people of all stripes.
Class Description: In this class, we will start by learning some basic chords, and then applying those chords to familiar singing songs and fiddle tunes. We will work on our strumming, picking patterns, timing and think about the role of the mandolin when playing with others. By using only our ears, a pick and some very basic theory we will transfer the notes that we hear in our heads onto our instruments. If attending this class, please bring some picks, change of mandolin strings, a tuner and of course…your mandolin!
The aim of this class is to develop our confidence as players, enjoy the sound that mandolin makes, and have a ton of fun while doing so!
About: As a solo artist and founding member of some of Canada’s most celebrated string bands, Andrew Collins is in the centre of a burgeoning Canadian acoustic music scene. He is a prolific composer, performer, educator, producer, and accomplished multi-instrumentalist.
Although a mandolin player first, Andrew also plays mandola, mandocello, guitar and fiddle, deftly navigating across the bluegrass, old-time, jazz, blues, swing, Celtic, and classical traditions.
Andrew has won seven Canadian Folk Music Awards, received five Juno nominations and several Canadian Bluegrass Association awards (including mandolin player of the year) as a solo artist as well as with the Creaking Tree String Quartet, The Foggy Hogtown Boys, along with his most recent groups The Andrew Collins Trio and The Tone Rangers.
Class Description: The advanced mandolin class will look at several aspects of mandolin playing. We will begin with practice approaches for improving your basic mandolin techniques. Including, working on pick strokes, rhythm playing, using different chord voicings, and developing speed.
There are many genres that feature the mandolin, so we are going to explore some of the differences in approaches to playing bluegrass, blues and old time music. Lastly, there will be an improvisational component focused on practice techniques for freeing up your playing. While this is an advanced class, this class is still appropriate for a wide range of players. We will move quickly but will be focused on learning how to get the most out of your practice time, so this class will benefit all.
BASS CLASSES
About: Master of the upright bass’s slap technique, and musical saw shredder, Jean-Philippe Demers-Lelotte (aka Johnny Slapper) is a Montreal-based musician and singer. Touring with multiple acts in Europe, North & South America for the past 15 years has allowed him to discover, and refine his skills in the genre he’s become most passionate about: Bluegrass and Old-Time.
Class Description: This course will focus on the upright bass’s role in bluegrass music, positions, intonation, time and everything you need to get you started in both group and solo settings. Basic to advanced techniques for slap bass will also be taught.
VOCAL CLASSES
About: Holly Gilroy (she/her) loves to play around with her voice and see what it’s capable of. From bluegrass, to classical music, to Broadway show tunes, she enjoys exploring different genres and styles. Holly’s professional singing experience includes country/folk project Gil & Wil, classical soloist with the Regina Philharmonic Chorus (works include Jenkins’ Gloria, Mozart’s Vesperae Solennes de Confessore, and Forrest’s Jubilate Deo), and various background vocals for live shows and studio recordings. She loves to teach voice to students of all levels and help folks find a similar passion for singing!
Class Description:
Holly Gilroy (she/her) is looking forward to helping folks find their voice in this year’s Sing-Out-Strong class! The class will focus on exploring different singing styles/voices and finding the one you feel most confident in while learning some bluegrass and old-time songs. Throughout the week we will learn how the voice works, how to “play” it, and how to fine tune it! We’ll also focus on how best to manage nerves when we are singing in front of people, because believe it or not, picturing everyone in their underwear doesn’t always work!
This class will cover:
- How the voice works (what makes up this instrument)
- How to find your range (soprano, alto, tenor, bass … aka high/low)
- How to sing a song at a jam (finding a good key, asking people to take breaks, etc.)
- Singing with different tones
- Singing solo versus singing with other people and/or instruments
- How to get your voice “in shape”
- What to do when the nerves kick in!
You don’t need to know how to read music for this class – We will be using the Northern Lights Bluegrass & Old Tyme jam book throughout the week. This class is open to anyone and everyone!! Come learn how to have fun with your voice!
About: Catherine-Audrey is a professional actress and musician. Her multidisciplinary background gives her a vision of her two passions as being intrinsically linked. With her band Veranda, she has toured across Canada and Europe playing more than 300 shows.
Léandre Joly-Pelletier is a sought-after multi-instrumentalist who has worked extensively with many well-established folk, country and bluegrass artists. Catherine-Audrey and him founded the band Veranda in 2019.
Class Description: After attending the vocal harmony class, students will be able to build 2 and 3 parts harmonies for any song and any key! Through some basic music theory and exercises, you will learn how to improve your harmonies, expand your vocal range and learn the twists of bluegrass singing. Some basic knowledge of the chord number system and some singing background are suggested to fully enjoy the class. Come and sing with us!
GUITAR CLASSES
About: Ellen Froese is a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist from Saskatoon, SK. She began her professional musical journey at Northern Lights as a teen, where she first played with the bluegrass/folk group In With The Old before launching her solo career. With four solo albums released and a fifth on the way, Ellen has toured across Canada and beyond, sharing the stage with acts like The Sheepdogs, The Deep Dark Woods, Crash Test Dummies, Boney M, and Kacy & Clayton. Recent performances include Mariposa Folk Festival, The National Arts Centre, Pop Montreal, Viva Sounds (Sweden), and The Great Escape (UK). Catch her performing at Northern Lights this summer with The Salt Licks!
Class Description: This class is for those who are just starting to play guitar. You will expand your chord knowledge, work on good rhythm and learn to play some easy songs to really get you going.
Prerequisites – Students should be familiar with the notes of the open strings on the guitar, how to tune the guitar, and should be working on how to form the basic chords G, C and D.
About: James McEleney has recorded and performed across North America, Europe, and Australia as a bassist, guitar and vocalist. Born in Scarborough, he studied jazz at York University and now plays jazz, bluegrass, folk, and avant-garde music as both a bass player and multi-instrumentalist for acts including The Andrew Collins Trio, Sarah Jane Scouten, The Unseen Strangers, and The Sondheim Jazz Project.
A Juno nominee and two-time CFMA Instrumental Group of the Year winner, James is based in Toronto, Ontario, where he lives with his wife and daughter.
Class Description: Will focus on rhythm and accompaniment aspects of Bluegrass and Old-Time Music. Including strumming patterns, playing in three essential chords shapes and learning and using the Nashville number system. We will also examine common chord progressions and playing simple melodies in open position. Capos are recommended.
About: Born and raised in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Joel Rohs is the guitarist for Juno-nominated group Jake Vaadeland & the Sturgeon River Boys. When he isn’t touring internationally with Jake and the SRBs, Joel can be seen performing with Mary Liv or the Bush Pies, doing sound at various SK events, or driving his 1990 Ford Club Wagon around the beautiful streets of Prince Albert.
Class Description: Intermediate guitar with instructor Joel Rohs will teach tunes, skills and practice methods for the developing guitarist. Flat picking, accompaniment, jamming, ear training and more! Join this class if you’ve got the basics down and are ready to learn more!
About: Ross Martin, a highly accomplished guitarist, composer, and educator based in Queens, NY, brings decades of experience to his students. With a rich background in both roots music and jazz, Ross has performed and recorded alongside renowned artists such as Grant Gordy, Matt Flinner, Jacob Jolliff, and Darol Anger. His ability to seamlessly blend styles and innovate within traditions makes him a sought-after collaborator and instructor.
Class Description: The advanced class will cover the following topics: arranging fiddle tunes for guitar, right hand technique, crosspicking, practical music theory, and rhythm guitar studies. We’ll examine how master players like Doc Watson, Norman Blake, Tony Rice and David Grier use some of these concepts. A familiarity with basic chords and experience playing single note melodies on guitar will be helpful in this class