Classes+Workshops

Brett teaches traditional Appalachian musical styles and repertoire on various string instruments common across the Mountain South within the following framework:

Cultural constructs are the pillars that uphold societal structures, encompassing the shared, collective ideas or notions that originate from a culture.
These constructs play a significant role in shaping our worldviews, thoughts, and behaviors.
Cultural education binds people together through shared practices, values, and norms, fostering a sense of belonging and unity.
This framework also offers an interpretive lens through which we understand our world and navigate social interactions.

In an increasingly mainstream society, understanding the nuances of different cultures and their constructs becomes critical to fostering inclusivity and respect for diversity.

Brett works to offer opportunities to study and engage in arts common to the Appalachian tradition through a series of workshops and experiences. Drawing from the best of progressive education models that so influenced life at the turn of the twentieth century in central and southern Appalachia, these opportunities are designed to be a “school for life,” providing accessible course work in skills that naturally engage curiosity and increase quality of life.

Whether you’re a beginner or the best on the creek, there’s a place here for you. Music education is essential for physical, emotional, and mental development, including confidence-building, as well as math and language skills. It’s also just a whole lot of fun! Come to learn, and discover a new community of like-minded people in the process.