This class will explore alternative tunings used in solo banjo playing from some of the late banjo masters of the Appalachians. Using clawhammer, up picking , 2 and 3 finger styles, the class will cover playing with a fiddler, regional styles within the Appalachians, chord structures for playing waltzes, and accompaniment for songs. The class will also cover jam sessions, general tips for getting good tone, and some basic music theory for exploring the banjo neck. Participants will find expression in the music with a focus on listening. They will explore possibilities in variations of tunes, maintaining rhythmic integrity rather than focusing on speed and technical display
Instructor Bio
Travis Stuart began playing the banjo as a young teen in Haywood County, North Carolina. A respected banjo player and multi-instrumentalist known for his rich style and accompaniment, Travis has toured throughout the US and several foreign countries with the Stuart Brothers and as a side man with other bluegrass and old time bands. He learned from old-time masters like the Smathers family, Oscar “Red” Wilson, Snuffy Jenkins, Byard Ray, and Tommy Hunter.
Along with teaching music camps in US and abroad, Travis currently teaches in the old-time music program at Warren Wilson College and taught at ETSU for a several years . In 2019 he received the South Arts Master fellowship award. Close to home Travis is a founder and Artistic Director at the Haywood County JAM program..
He is on a number of recordings documentaries and is especially known for the banjo fiddle duets with his late brother Trevor, The Stuart Brothers. Travis lives in the woods of Haywood County with his family, his dog and cat, and loves many styles of music.