Kiwigrass Academy, Lake Karapiro, 601 Maungatautari Road. Begins 9am Wednesday, 29 January, finishes 11pm Thursday, 30 January. All of the best New Zealand bluegrass bands are joined by bands from the United States, Australia and beyond for a weekend of celebrating the music pioneered by Bill Monroe, Earl Scruggs, and Lester Flatt. Expand your musical horizons at the new Kiwigrass Academy – two days of in-depth tuition and participation leading in to the 2020 Kiwigrass Festival. Classes will be taught by our headline artists, teaching guitar, mandolin, banjo (3 finger style), fiddle, bass and dobro. (Possible addition: claw hammer banjo, if there is a demand). In addition to instrument lessons, electives are offered in song-writing, harmony singing, instrument maintenance, band dynamics, and many other topics. Nightly concerts and jam sessions are also included. Cost $195.00. For further information: https://kiwigrass.nz/kiwigrass-academy-2020/
