Frequently Asked Questions
Photo by Mike Melnyk
Is this camp for children or adults?
This camp is for musicians. Typically, most of our campers are adults, so the classes are geared to an adult attention span. But campers of all ages are welcome as long as they’re into the music and can stay focused during an all-morning class.
Usually, out of about 200 campers, we have about 30 kids between the ages of 8 and 18. If a child is under ten years old, we generally recommend our “Fungrass” program for the morning class—this class is less intensive and, as the name implies, more fun! and includes arts and crafts and snacks as well as musical instruction. Fungrass students can attend afternoon elective classes to supplement their musical studies, and we also offer elective classes that are fun for all ages (clogging, hambone, play-party games, etc).
Can I attend instrumental classes for more than one instrument?
Not in the mornings, sorry. For two reasons--one, to ensure that class sizes don't get too big; and two, because often a teacher will build each day on what was worked on the previous day, so continuity is important. However, during the jams, elective classes, and office hours you can participate with any instrument you want, and work with any instructor you want. So, for example, if you are in a guitar class in the morning but also play mandolin, there will be elective classes for mandolin in the afternoons that you can attend.
Can I come for (and pay for) just part of the camp?
If you are on a waiting list for one of the morning classes, you’ll be offered the opportunity to come just for the afternoon and evening classes at a reduced price (tuition is half price for this option--$150—meals and lodging same price or can be pro-rated). Then if space opens up in the morning class of your choice, you can upgrade and become a fulltime camper. A limited number of campers can do this even if they’re not on a waiting list. Mornings only may also be a possibility. Or if you’d like to attend one or more of the afternoon classes, that can be arranged, too,—call for more information.
Photo by Mike Melnyk
Can I bring my family?
Yes, though if they're not signed up for music camp, they should not attend classes. They may come to the evening events. All attendees need to pay for housing and meals; call for rates. (415-663-1342 after 9 a.m.)
If your family includes young children, as mentioned above we offer a special class for children who are not yet ready for camp, but interested in music. This class, called Fungrass, meets in the mornings from 9 a.m. to noon and will be team-taught by children’s educators Kathleen Rushing and Carol Spiker. Students will have a chance to interact with instruments and learn about each of the main bluegrass/oldtime instruments. They will participate in fun, interactive experiences, which may include singing, dancing, performance, crafts, recording, musical drama, nature walks, garden/farm animals tour, games and a great snack each day. In the afternoons, they may attend the elective classes, some of which will be set up specially for them.
Cost of this program is $50-$200 per child, depending on housing choice—scholarships are available for those who need them. Class size will be limited, so if you have an interested child, you're advised to sign up early.
Can I bring my pets?
No, pets are not allowed!—please leave them home, unless they are your service animal.
Is vegetarian or vegan food available? What about my food allergies?
You can sign up for vegetarian meals, and any other food preferences you have can likely be accommodated if you let us know in advance (food allergies, vegan, etc). You’ll be asked for these details when you register.
What if I want some vegetarian and some meat meals?
You have to sign up for one or the other. BUT, at the end of the meal, after everyone has been served, it's OK to go through the line again to sample the veggie food if you signed up as an omnivore, or vice versa, if there's extra left. "After everyone has been served" are the key words here, like wait at least half an hour after meal time began.
Are there hook-ups for RV's?
No, though electricity can be provided as needed, using extension cords.
Camping? in February? What’s the weather like?
Good question. Night-time temperatures are likely to be in the 40’s. Daytimes can be lovely, sunny, early spring weather, raging rainstorms, or anything in between. Probably about a 50/50 chance of nice weather. Layered clothing is advised, and check the weather report before you come.
I do not want to share a room with anyone—are private rooms available for individuals or couples?
Space is limited for private rooms at Walker Creek Ranch—it’s a conference center, not a hotel, and the rooms are designed for shared use. But some private rooms are available at additional charge. There are also vacation rentals nearby in Marshall, 15 minutes away. And there are plenty of motels available in Petaluma and Novato (25 minutes away).
Where do I get more information about local motels, and restaurants?
First of all, remember that Walker Creek Ranch is about 25 minutes away (on curvy back roads) from the nearest large town (Petaluma or Novato) and 15 minutes away from the nearest small store/deli (in Marshall).
That said, you can get information about Petaluma services from www.petalumachamber.com/, Novato from www.novatochamber.com/, and West Marin from www.pointreyes.org/.
Closest lodging would be any of various B&Bs or vacation rentals in the Marshall area (www.pointreyes.org/marshall.html; www.westmarinnetwork.com/; www.tomalesbay.com; www.ravensviewcottage.com; www.poetsloft.com; www.themermaidshouse.com/ you can find more by searching for Marshall vacation rentals)—less expensive would be motels in Petaluma or Novato.
Closest restaurants are in Marshall—Nick’s Cove is open 7 days a week but pricey (www.nickscove.com); Tony’s Seafood is open Fridays-Sundays, a little less pricey; the Marshall Store is open from 10 to 4 and serves great food at good prices (www.themarshallstore.com). All of these are on the waterfront with great ambience. And there are many restaurants to choose from in Petaluma or Novato.
Can I sign up by phone and/or pay with a credit card?
You cannot sign up by phone—you need to complete a registration form and submit it, either online or by mail. But yes, you can pay with your credit card, when you register online—there is a link for that on our home page, it’s a Paypal system.
Is it better to sign up online or by mail?
Either way is fine. Paying with a credit card involves a handling fee (3-4%), so it’s cheaper to mail a check.
As far as your place in line for getting into a class, we go by when you sign up, not when we receive it, and we go by which day you sign up, regardless of what time it is. So, mailing a check postmarked anytime on a Monday, for example, will place you in line along with everyone else who mails a check or signs up online that day—we wait a few days for the mail to catch up before processing online registrations. For the same reason, sending it priority mail is not necessary—we go by the date of the postmark.
If a class overfills on any given day, then we look at factors like age, prior attendance at camp, CBA membership, etc. when making decisions about who’s in the class and who’s on the waiting list.
Photo by Mike Melnyk
I want to sign up for camp now, but don't have all the money together yet. Will you take a deposit?
Yes, you can send a deposit to hold your place along with your registration form, but please include a note letting us know when to expect the balance. The late fee of $50 will be added if tuition is not paid in full by January 15th, unless you make special arrangements.
I want to sign up for camp, but I may have to cancel.
What's your refund policy?
If you’re not sure you’ll be able to come, the easiest thing to do is sign up with a deposit of an amount that you’re willing to donate to the scholarship fund if you can’t make it. That makes it easy for everyone if you have to cancel.
If you sign up with full fees and unexpected circumstances force you to cancel, we can refund your fees. We don’t charge a set cancellation fee, but we do ask that you donate a portion of your refund (any amount) to next year's scholarship fund, to make up for the inconvenience.
Exceptions: “No-shows” (those who don’t show up at camp, and don’t contact us to cancel) do NOT receive a refund. If we haven’t heard from you by 9:00 a.m. Saturday morning and you’re not at camp, you forfeit your spot, and your registration fee is ours to keep. (Exceptions may be made for hardship cases.)
I want to come, but I can’t afford it. How do I get a scholarship?
There are two types of scholarships available: full scholarships, which cover the full price of attending camp; and partial scholarships.
Most of our scholarships are partial scholarships—you pay as much as you can, and we cover the rest. This way we can accommodate everyone who needs the help. To apply for a partial scholarship, fill out a registration form, entering the amount you can pay, and mail it in, with a check for that amount, and also include a brief letter explaining your situation and requesting the scholarship.
We also have a few full scholarships available. These are intended for very low-income young people who are devoted to playing bluegrass and/or old time music. If this sounds like you, your child, or someone you know, please call 415-663-1342 to apply.
Scholarship recipients, or their parents, are asked to help out at camp with a camp chore or two (there are many to choose from!)
The scholarship program is made possible through the donations of generous CBA members and other music campers who pay a little (or in some cases, a lot!) extra to help fund it. We are extremely grateful to them!
I signed up for camp but never heard if I made it into my class. Am I registered?
Don’t assume you’re registered for camp unless you received confirmation! All applicants are contacted when they sign up, usually by e-mail, and all registered campers receive confirmation (by e-mail, or fax or snail mail if you have no e-mail) which includes information about what to bring to camp, how to get there, etc.
Please wait one week from when you signed up (a few days later if you signed up by mail), or until one week after registration opens if you mailed in registration early, and then if you haven’t heard from us, there was a communications failure and you should get in touch to find out if you’re registered or on a waiting list.
How do I get to camp?
Directions are available on the ranch website: www.walkercreekranch.org
Can you help me find (or offer) a ride to camp?
Carpooling is in! If you are interested in sharing a ride to camp, let us know and we’ll put you in contact with any others from your area who are also interested in carpooling.
How early can I arrive?
You can arrive anytime after 12:00 on Friday.
What do I need to bring to camp?
Walker Creek Ranch has a list of suggested items to bring on their website (www.walkercreekranch.org/ go to conference center, guest information packet, where there is a lot of other information as well). The weather in February can be lovely early spring days, wet and wild storms, or anything in between. Check the weather forecast and plan accordingly—layered clothing is a good idea.
If you’re hardy enough for winter tent camping, bring camping supplies (tent, sleeping bag, etc). All you are supplied with is a space to camp, and access to water and bathrooms. There are no picnic tables, just some scenic level spaces. February night-time temperatures are usually in the 40’s but occasionally drop lower.
For classes, a notebook and pen, battery-powered recording device, and extra batteries are very helpful; extra strings, capo, etc. for your instrument; and a tuner. If you have a large or heavy instrument, you may want to consider bringing a wheeled carrier for making travel to classes easier. Lightweight, easy-carry gig bags are good for the same reason. Please check the Instructors page and look at your class description—your instructor may have additional requests about what you should bring to class with you.
Bring a yoga mat if you have one and want to attend the yoga classes. And don't forget your dancing shoes!
Is there somewhere safe to leave instruments on campus?
Just about anywhere is generally safe on this campus, but also we will designate one room specifically for this purpose.
I can’t get there in time for registration; can I arrive late?
Yes. Friday after registration and early-bird classes, dinner is from 6:00-6:45, and the evening program starts at 7:30—what you’ll miss if get in late Friday night is some elective classes, staff introductions and some fun first-night activities, but you’ll still be on time for your morning class (which starts 9 a.m. Saturday). You can also arrive early Saturday morning. Regardless of when you arrive, you need to check in and register when you get there.
I would like to be on the volunteer staff—can I?
We do have a volunteer staff at each camp. Volunteers serve as teacher assistants in the morning classes and help run the camp in many other ways. If you’re interested in doing this, you should know more about what we’re looking for.
First of all, your motive should be to help run the camp (as opposed to “getting in free”). We try to set it up so that everyone at camp, staff and students included, has a great time, but the staff plays a whole different role from the students. If your objective for coming as a volunteer is to come to camp without paying tuition, you should just apply for the scholarship assistance you need—that’s what our scholarship fund is there for, and you’ll still be asked to help out in some way.
Secondly, since most of our volunteers serve as teaching assistants, you should be fairly proficient on at least one instrument, or better yet two, (and/or be a good singer), and be interested in, or better yet have some experience in, teaching or helping teach. To this end, it helps to have at least one reference from someone the director knows and trusts, like for example any of our instructors.
An ideal camp volunteer is someone who’s been to camp before, done well in an upper level class, knows and loves the camp, and wants to come back and “give back” and be there in a supporting role.
You should like to work! as there is plenty of work involved in running the camp. Some of it is fun (playing music for the clogging class, working with an admired instructor in the morning classes, etc) and some of it is just plain work (moving chairs around, staffing the registration table, running errands, etc). A good attitude about working in general is definitely an essential component to being a desirable camp volunteer.
Then there are certain skills or attributes that are definite pluses. We always can use help with publicity. This involves knowing your way around the internet and being able to find where the bluegrass and oldtime musicians are likely to discover links to our camp website; chatting it up on Facebook or other similar sites; contacting radio stations, newspapers, newsletters, music teachers, etc; helping make sure we have fliers at bluegrass and oldtime events, etc etc etc. If this is something you’d be good at and like to do, you would be a very valuable volunteer and since most of this work happens before camp, you wouldn’t be obligated to do as much work at the camp itself.
Graphic artists also could provide valuable help, and people who are good with computers in general.
If some or all of this is sounding like it has your name on it, get in touch and let us know. Contact director Ingrid Noyes at 415-663-1342 after 9 a.m. or at info@cbamusicccamp.org/
I’d like to be an instructor at your camp—how do I get hired?
For the summer camp at Grass Valley, the place we look first for teachers is at the festival line-up. So if you can get booked to play at the Father’s Day Bluegrass Festival, this puts you on our radar, as we like to tie the two events together. For information on playing that festival, go to the CBA website: http://www.cbaontheweb.org/about.asp
Other than that, we try to hire a good number of local California teachers for each camp, interspersed with some from out of state. Some are nationally known; some less well known but great teachers. Great teachers is the key word(s) here—we’ve found that being a superb performer and being a superb teacher are two different things, and we’re looking for great players, but even more important, people who are good at, and really enjoy, teaching. At the same time, we like to have a certain number of people who are well known in the world of bluegrass and oldtime music on our staff each year. So these are some of the things we consider as we hire our staff for each camp.
If it sounds like you might be the kind of instructor we’re looking for, contact us and let us know you’re interested, and we’ll take it from there. Director Ingrid Noyes: 415-663-1342 or info@cbamusicccamp.org/
