I’m thrilled to be invited back to teach hammered dulcimer at MuziekMozaiek’s music camp in Gooik this August. It’ll be my fourth time in Belgium, and every time I go back, I do a little bit more, connect with more musicians, see more of the country, (try a few more beers) etc. Last summer, there were several young musicians walking around in Gooik with this funny glow all around them, and these were people who had recently participated in “Flanders Ethno”– a music week for people ages 16-30 where musicians from all over the world bring one traditional tune to teach to the whole group, and they all form this international folk orchestra, performing the music from the countries represented by all the participants. Apparently last year’s Flanders Ethno was a transcendent experience for these musicians, and so this year I’m heading over to Belgium early in August to check it out. And I’m bringing two of the best musicians I know, John Boulware and Lon Eldridge. These two fellas are also instructors at the Folk School of Chattanooga, so I’m pleased to consider this trip something of a “Folk School Teacher Training” excursion. There’s no telling how our musical worlds are going to be opened up by this experience, and what tremendous value this will have as we continue to teach our students here in Tennessee. We’ve set up this Kickstarter page to try to raise some funds that will help us as we travel. We already have our plane tickets sorted out, so now we’re just looking to raise some cash so we can afford to see and do a few cool things while we’re in Belgium, such as the Musical Instrument Museum in Brussels.

If this is something you think you could get behind, please let me assure you that no amount of support is too small.

See our Kickstarter page here.