Murphy Method Women’s Banjo Camp: July 30 - Aug 1, 2027
All Levels. All Women.
(Sponsored By Courtyard By Marriott)
Level: Beginning and Intermediate
Instructors: Murphy and Casey Henry
Tuition: $600 (Includes lunch on Saturday and Sunday. DOES NOT INCLUDE LODGING. See below for details.)
To Register: Print and fill out the registration form below:
Join us for our thirteenth Murphy Method Women’s Banjo Camp, July 30 - Aug 1, 2027, in Winchester, Virginia. Why an all-women banjo camp? Because we want to do a women’s camp. We want to reach out to more women who play and get them playing together. Very few women come to our other camps and we want to create a unique event with an inclusive atmosphere where everyone will feel comfortable.
Our women's camps, although small, are always a rousing success! Everyone leaves in a state of euphoria, including the instructors: Murphy and Casey Henry. The after-hours jamming often lasts till midnight and is frequently the source of many hilarious stories the next day. The vibe during the entire weekend is electric, with women, from ages 12 to 80, bonding, sharing, supporting, laughing, and--best of all--playing and singing their hearts out!
Venue and Lodging
We make our camps ones that WE would want to attend! Our camp classes and activities are held in the conference rooms at the COURTYARD by Marriott-Winchester Medical Center, and you will have access to the classrooms after hours for jamming. We have arranged a special camp rate for guest rooms.
COURTYARD By Marriott-Winchester Medical Center
300 Marriott Drive
Winchester, VA 22603
T 540-678-8822
Book your hotel room here. You can also call the hotel directly to book your room. Our camp rate for 2027 is $114 + tax for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. Must book by June 29.
You may, of course, make other lodging arrangements. If you have any questions at all or need more information please feel free to email Casey at themurphymethod@gmail.com.
Prerequisites:
Murphy and Casey will focus on making you a better, more well-rounded banjo player. There will be lots and lots of playing. And while we have said this is a camp for all levels of banjo playing women, we do have some minimum prerequisites.
These songs are absolutely required. Note that students have reported that they have a much better camp experience if they learn our versions from the videos (even if they played the songs already).
- Banjo In The Hollow (on New Beginning Banjo 1)
- Boil Them Cabbage Down (on NBB1)
- Cripple Creek (on NBB1)
- Cumberland Gap (on NBB1)
- Blue Ridge Cabin Home (on NBB1)
- Foggy Mountain Breakdown (on New Beginning Banjo 2)
- I Saw The Light (on NBB 2)
- Bury Me Beneath The Willow (on NBB 2)
- Do Lord (on NBB 2)
You must know your F shaped vamp chords and be able to vamp to the above tunes. (This is included at the end of the lessons on New Beginning Banjo 1 and 2)
Must be able to use the capo in A (two frets) and C (five frets) and vamp to songs there.
Highly Recommended - ESSENTIAL FOR HIGHER LEVEL CLASS:
- John Hardy (on NBB2)
- Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms (on NBB3): We need Earl's all-important first and last lick, which are the same, and which I call the "Roll in my sweet baby's arm" lick. NO substitutions!
- Old Joe Clark--played in A--(on NBB3). So practice it WITH YOUR CAPO at the second fret. Learn and practice vamp chords in A.
- Extra credit: Lonesome Road Blues (high break) (on NBB3).
FAQs
How serious are you about the pre-requisites?
We are serious about our “absolutely required” songs. We start our teaching from this point and we can't catch you up. If you don't know these songs you'll be behind from the start. Our camp works best if everyone is at about the same level and knows at least the same core body of songs. You’ll be able to participate more fully and easily if you can play most of the material under “highly recommended” as well, but these are not deal breakers. Vamping is a must. Being able to play the songs all the way through is a must. We don't care about "perfect," but you need to be able to recover from your mistakes and keep going. Being able to improvise even a little bit will help, but is not a must. We know you will be nervous about playing with others and in front of others and we will work on this. But we will NEVER push you to play a solo by yourself unless you want to.
Can my significant other come along?
Of course! If your non-banjo-playing partner wants to come along they are welcome. $30 will cover lunches for Saturday and Sunday, plus attendance at the evening concerts. If they play, too, they are welcome to bring their instrument and they can join in on the jamming! Here are some things they can do in the area while we are banjoing!
When should I arrive?
We’ll start class at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, so a Friday morning arrival is fine.
When should I leave?
Classes will end at noon on Sunday, and then we eat lunch, so you can plan for a mid-day departure.
What level player do I need to be to attend this camp?
This will be an intermediate level camp (see the pre-requisites and highly recommended DVDs). If you still have trouble playing straight through your tunes and have never tried to play with anyone else before, you might consider booking a few Skype lesson with Murphy or Casey to evaluate whether you are ready for camp.
What is the closest airport?
Washington-Dulles (IAD) is about an hour drive away. Most people fly there and rent a car. Reagan National is somewhat further but still doable. And BWI is about the furthest convenient airport.
Will private lessons be available?
Murphy will be available for private lessons before the camp. These should be arranged individually with her. (Murphy: murphybanjo@gmail.com)
