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.

‍REMINDER: Traditions Week 1 classes are ALL-VIRTUAL in 2024; Traditions Week 2 class are IN-PERSON on the campus of McDaniel College in Westminster, MD!
Traditions Week 3 is NOT RUNNING in 2024, but will return in the future.

NOTE: TO GO DIRECTLY TO THE REGISTRATION PAGE CLICK HERE

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

Period 1

Period 2

Period 3

Period 4

Period 5

Evening Events

Arab and Islamic Culture with Carol Zaru

Examine and better understand the diversity of Arab/Islamic culture.

Basic Swing Rhythm Guitar with Marv Reitz

Learn the basics of the rhythm guitar for swing.

Basics of Mandolin Improvisation with Martin Stevens

Discover the fundamentals of creating mandolin leads and fills

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 Guitar with Amy Ferebee, Week 2

Get to know your guitar and learn some simple tunes.

Bluegrass Bass with Josh Adkins

Dig into the role of the bass in ensemble playing

Blues Mandolin with Chris James

Explore the rich history of Mando Blues with Christopher James!

Bodhran (Irish Frame Drum) for Beginners with Bill Troxler

Learn to play the quintessential Celtic drum with Bill Troxler!

Bonsai: More Than Meets the Eye with Barry FIgard

Dive into the world of Bonsai with members of the Maryland Bonsai Association

Cherokee Pottery with Lillie Vann

Create a small turtle using Cherokee symbols and techniques.

Crafting Comedy with Purpose w Eve Blackwater

Writing Short Plays, Comedic Sketches and TikTok Content for Social Justice

Create a Neck Torque with Set Stones w Gina Copanzzi

Design and create your own beautiful neck torque!

Creating a Nordic Rya Rug w Melinda Byrd

Design and make your own knotted shag rug, a Nordic tradition!

Earth Colors: Making Pigments from Plants and Minerals w P Brodowski & K Koons

Discover how to transform pigments extracted from plants and minerals into a variety of artist paints and inks.

Fun with Rib Baskets w Sharon Schaeffer

Learn to weave a modified potato rib basket with a found twisted vine or stick handle using colors and reeds of your choice.

Golf with Phil Gallery

Unravel the mysteries of golf. You may never have to yell "fore" again.

Hammered Dulcimer: Beginners Bootcamp with Mary Lynn Michal

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

Hand Spinning Wool Yarn w Susan Withnell

Learn how to spin wool into yarn that is suitable for knitting, crocheting or weaving.

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 Swing Music with Brennen Ernst

An introduction to the history, recordings and basic harmonic & rhythms of swing

Irish Fiddle with Saskia Tomkins

Explore the rhythms, ornamentation and bowing to plant your tune playing firmly in Ireland

O'Carolan Tunes for All Instruments

Learn some of the beautiful tunes of renowned Irish composer Turlough O'Carolan.

Old-Time Fiddle I with Ken Kolodner

Get to the heart of that old-time fiddle sound with Ken Kolodner.

Open Road Smartphone Photography with Phil Grout

Learn to use your smartphone for photography in outdoor locations.

Photoshop 101 and Beyond with Don Elmes

Learn to use the many features of Photoshop, including layers, layer masks, selection tools and more.

Revolving Bookcase w K Koons, S Browder & S Mankowski

Use hand tools to blacksmith the hardware and build a Revolving Bookcase from white pine wood.

Rise Up Singing with Kristen Grainger & Dan Wetzel

Get a great start to your day with singing!

Slide Guitar with William Lee Ellis

Get to know slide, or bottleneck, guitar styles, including technique, phrasing, tone and interpretation.

Southern Appalachian FlatFooting and Clogging

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 Mosaics w Lalo Carrera

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

Storytelling with Steafan Hannigan

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

The Indigo Dye Village with Kibibi Ajanku

Learn natural indigo dyeing methods

Uke Can Swing! with Kathy Reitz

Standard swing repertoire will be used to take you into the world of movable chords, rootless chords, and typical swing progressions.

Unpacking Duke Ellington and Jazz for Mandolin w T Porter & J Selly

Moods, Modes, Distant Lands and Sacred Songs from one of America's greatest and most prolific composers - Duke Ellington

Watercolor Composition: Ties That Bind w Ellen Elmes

Explore negative space of sky shapes using watercolor painting techniques.

Welding is Fun with Thomas Sterner

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

1-2-3, 1-2-3 - Jigs and Waltzes for the Harp

Experience the world of waltzes, jigs, hop jigs and more

Beginning 5-String Banjo Basics w Sam Hatch

Get started on your banjo journey by learning the basics of 3 different old0time playing styles!

Beginning 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.

Beginning Mandolin with Tim Porter

Learn the basics of mandolin chords and accompaniment

Beginning Ukulele with Amy Ferebee

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

Bluegrass Guitar I with Chris Luquette

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

Bluegrass Mandolin

Delve into the techniques to play bluegrass on the mandolin.

Blues & Boogie-Woogie Piano I with Rhonda Rucker

Get started playing the blues on piano!

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.

Common Ground on the Hill Veterans Initiative with Josh Hisle

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

What does it mean to be "Latin American"? Explore the stories before and after the first Spanish migration and reflect on the interplay between culture and power.

DrumJam Drum Circle with Steve Bloom

Veteran percussionist Steve Bloom will lead the group in rhythm games and "serious jams!"

Flatpick Guitar with Bryan McDowell

Learn flatpick guitar from a national champion musician

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.

Freedom Sings and Dances

You are invited to sing and dance unabashedly with Shelley and Marya!

From Stage Fright to Spotlight w E Blackwater & M Davis

Embracing Open Mic Performance with Confidence

Intermediate/Advanced Resophonic Guitar

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

Intro to Flow Yoga with Erica Chesnik

This approachable class integrates the coordination of breath with movement in a traditional style of vinyasa yoga.

Just Enough Music Theory with Bill Troxler

Learn how music works so that you can make your music unique, including expanding your skills in selecting chords, composing melodies and improvising!

Nature Poems: A Practice in Wonder w Madeleine Mysko

Create a nature poem and explore other modes of presenting it, including collage, photography, music and more.

Nonviolence Is ... What Exactly? with 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 Banjo I

Dive into Old-Time clawhammer banjo

Old-Time Fiddle Repertoire Builder with Ben Wetherbee

Build your old-time fiddle repertoire

Songwriting: Origin of a Song w Kristen Grainger & Dan Wetzel

Kristen Grainger and Dan Wetzel of True North lead you through the fundamentals of telling a story through song

Swing Mandolin with Tom Mindte

Learn the chords and some standard tunes from the swing/jazz repertoire.

The Reverend Gary Davis Guitar with William Lee Ellis

Dive into the repertoire of Reverend Gary Davis, including favorite keys and singing approaches.

Art and Nature with Mixed Mediums

Explore drawing and painting nature using mediums including pastel, paint, charcoal and more

Audio Engineering Beginner to Advanced w Phil Spiess

Three separate periods to learn the basics of audio engineering doing sound check for real musicians!

Banning of the Civil Rights Struggle with C Collyer & P Zappardino

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

Beautiful and/or Fun Celtic Tunes for Harp and More with Jo Morrison

Fun Celtic tunes for the harp!

Beginning Resophonic Guitar with Carter Giegerich

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

Beginning Swing Piano with Brennen Ernst

Learn techniques necessary to play easier swing tunes alongside other musicians.

Beyond Beginner: Relaxed Pace Hammered Dulcimer with Mary Lynn Michal

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

Beyond Beginning Ukulele with Chris James

Learn songs from a variety of genres that lead us to different rhythms and chords.

Bluegrass Guitar II with Chris Luquette

IBMA Momentum Award winner Chris Luquette will take your bluegrass guitar to the next level!

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.

Blues Harmonica with Guy Davis

Learn from a legend! Grammy nominee and Handy Award winner Guy Davis will teach you to accompany songs with your harmonica, whether in a rack or in your hands. Category: Wind & Free Reed

Bodhran (Irish Frame Drum) with Steafan Hannigan

The bodhran is the heartbeat of Celtic music. Polish your skills with renowned musician Steafan Hannigan.

Carve a Pair of Courting Rails with Rich Smoker

Learn to carve a pair of stylized birds with renowned master carver Rich Smoker.

Cherokee Shields and Rabbit Rattles

Create clay shields and forms using Cherokee methods and designs.

Contemporary Indigenous Life in the Mid-Atlantic with Jess McPherson

Making the Visible the Invisible. A week-long introduction to the region’s Native communities, including history, culture, and arts.

Fiddle with Bryan McDowell

Develop your bluegrass fiddling skills with Bryan McDowell

Fujara and Koncovka Overtone Flutes of Slovakia with Bob Rychlik

Enter the magical world of the overtone flute!

Gentle Yoga with Erica Chesnik

Gentle Yoga incorporates breathing exercises, guided imagery, and meditation for a deeply relaxing experience.

Hammered Dulcimer: Arranging & Accompaniment with Ken Kolodner

Master hammered dulcimer player and teacher Ken Kolodner will help you discover use of techniques like three note chords, valley rolls and more to fill out tunes.

I Didn't Know My iPhone Could Do That! with Cary Wolfson

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

Intermediate Bluegrass Banjo w Randy Barrett

Banjo students who are ready to move beyond beginner skills will learn new repertoire and techniques.

Introduction to Knitting with Tyrrell Tapaha

Learn the basic mechanics behind knitting and its different cultural applications throughout the world.

Joy of New Orleans Jazz with Dave Robinson

Examining the history of New Orleans Jazz as well as its inner workings and its relevance to our lives today

Klezmer Music w B Mitterhoff & J Selly

Learn the modes and dance tunes of the celebratory, secular Jewish music known as klezmer.

Latin Connections World String Ensemble w N Carter, R Gordon, M Ronstadt, S Bloom

Come explore Latin rhythms, melodies and improvisation, making connections with many styles of music around the world.

Modern Mandolin with Wayne Fugate

Dive into the techniques and music of modern players like John Reischman, Sam Bush, David Grisman and a host of others

Murder, Mayhem, Legends and Lies w Sparky & Rhonda Rucker

Explore the "true" stories behind Euro and African American ballads and sing them with Sparky and Rhonda Rucker.

Needle Felting a Trio of Songbirds w Gayle Mathues

Make a cheerful little wool felted songbird! For those with some experience needle felting.

Penny Rugs: Tradition Meets Modernity w Loring Boglioli

Revive this 19th century ornament-making art form with contemporary methods!

Plein Air Painting with Pat Brodowski

Learn to paint in the great outdoors!

Poetry Gym with Martial Davis

Learn to give life to your ideas! Create poems in class individually and as a group working on a collaborative poem.

Qi Gong for Health w Greg Padrick

Discover the gentle movements and breathing exercises of Qi Gong.

Repoussage: Sculpting Flowers and Leaves from Metal with Linda Van Hart

Design and create a metal flower or leaf for use as a pendant, earrings or other adornment.

Samaritans at the Border, Immigrants Among Us w S Wallin, R Mayer, D Figueroa

This workshop will focus on globalization and how it affects communities which in turn stimulate immigration into our First World country. It will lift up the plight of the migrant and illuminate the deep instinct for survival and love of family.

Silkscreen Printing from Chinese Papercut Patterns with Irene Chan

Silkscreen printing with paper stencils inspired by Chinese papercuts

Stained Glass Camp with Ragtime

Create a stained glass work of art!

Sweetgrass Baskets with Mary Graham-Grant

Make a basket from sweetgrass, a historical art form brought to South Carolina by slaves from West Africa.

Swing Vocals w Tom Mindte & Amy Ferebee

You can't sing a thing if you ain't got that swing - and here's where to learn it!

Western Swing Fiddle with Paul Anastasio

Get to know Western Swing, a fun, upbeat and danceable music that will get you hooked on jazz

Beginning Harmonica with Dave Burkitt

Learn to play this portable and fun melodic instrument

Beginning Mountain Dulcimer

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.

Blues Guitar with Guy Davis

There's no one better at teaching the blues than Grammy nominated, Handy Award winning blues master Guy Davis!

Celtic Fiddle Repertoire with Saskia Tomkins

Expand your Celtic fiddle repertoire with an All Britain and North American Champion of Irish Fiddle

Creative Nonfiction in a Flash with Madeleine Mysko

Discover methods to break free and write down those true stories faster than you think.

Getting Your Music Recorded w Harry Orlove

Learn the ins and outs of recording music.

Harmony Singing with Kristen Grainger & True North

Learn the techniques of singing in two, three and four-part harmonies.

Hearts and Minds Film w Dan Collins

Learn how film and digital media can be used as tools for social change. We will view powerful examples of documentary film and other forms of digital media that address the most critical issues in our global society.

History of Bagpipes Around the World w Steafan Hannigan

Bagpipes can be found across the world! Find out more about piping traditions and history around the world.

Introduction to Dine-Style Tapestry Weaving with Tyrrell Tapaha

Learn the skills to prepare and weave in the Diné (Navajo) style!

Latin American Music for Harp and More w Nicolas Carter

Learn the techniques, patterns, rhythms and melodies of Latin American music. This will take your playing to a new level!

More Blues Ukulele with Chris James

Add to your Blues Ukulele repertoire and skills!

Music Theory for Bluegrass and Old-Time

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.

Old-Time Banjo II

Learn advanced banjo technique and tunes

Playback Improvisation Theater and the Joy of Story - Week 2 w Roberta Gore

Non-actors and actors alike will enjoy developing the skills of improvisational acting.

Practice Lab: Research-Based Strategies for Getting Better Results 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.

Progressive Mandolin

Chris Luquette helps unravel the accompaniment and rhythmic concepts of progressive mandolin.

Rags and Stomps w B Mitterhoff and J Selly

All instruments are welcome to learn the string ragtime of the 20s and 30s.

Roots Music Songs of Revolution w Sparky & Rhonda Rucker

Explore a host of songs for social change, including songs from the Underground Railroad, voting rights, labor unions and more.

Southwest Guitar with Michael Ronstadt

From Mariachi to traditional songs like La Bamba and Guantanamera, learn the style, rhythms and chord progressions so you can play along!

Swing Fiddle with Paul Anastasio

Dive into the world of swing fiddle!

The Art and Craft of Playing Bass with Ralph Gordon

Learn both the art of playing bass (such as musicality) and the craft (technique, theory and more).

Women and the Blues w L Gilmore & A Cohen

Get to know the music and lives of blues women past and present through recordings and special guests.

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.

Celtic Session

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

Cubist-Inspired Portraits w Randall Gornowich

Create at WHOLLY unique Multi-Faceted Cubist Inspired Personal Portrait.

Introduction to Highland Bagpipe

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-Time Jam

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

Open Hearth Stone Soup Cooking w G Handler, S Browder, S Mankowski

Learn every step in the art of cooking over fire

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.

Small Vessels: Essential Oil Diffusers w Robert Strasser

Design and make a press mold to create a small vessel as a fragrance diffuser or bottle.

Soldering Bootcamp w B Bayne & W Werner

Calling all metals artists: learn or improve your soldering skills!

Swing Jam and Slow Swing Jam

A chance to play swing music with all of your swing instructors!

Wine Appreciation with Russ Lorber

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

Gallery Talks

Gallery Talks: Monday through Friday at 6:30 PM ET ~ Artist talks on various art forms. FREE Week 1: Streaming on the Common Ground on the Hill YouTube Channel Week 2: In Person AND Virtual! Gallery Talks at Rice Gallery, Peterson Hall

Interracial Gospel Choir w S Ensor, A Dorsey

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

Keynote: Shura ~ The Trail Is Never Paved

Keynote Address: Monday, July 8 at 8 PM Eastern Time. FREE - No registration required. IN PERSON at WMC Alumni Hall, McDaniel College in Westminster, MD.