FORMAT
Class Information
Each program is a five-day course of study. Some programs are concurrent, and students are free to create their own curriculum from any of the classes in any programs offered during a particular week. Programs accommodate a variety of skill levels. Class titles will use terms (beginner, intermediate, advanced) or Roman numerals (I, II, III) to refer to skill level, while capital letters denote different sections of the same class. Consult the class descriptions in the catalog for more detail on skill level. Class selections are required for registration, so it’s best to choose carefully as it will reserve your spot. Many attendees find that two or three classes as a good balance for the week. After the first class meeting, students have until 6pm on Monday of that week to switch into another open class if they wish.
Registration operates on a first come, first served basis, so early registration is strongly encouraged. Remember that our pre-registration process, available from December through early February, saves your spot and grants you early-bird access to sign up for classes. Classes are capped at 15 students unless otherwise noted. Once a class reaches its limit, it is closed and additional students are waitlisted. Swannanoa Gathering Youth Scholars and Work Exchange Crew members remain eligible to register for closed classes, which sometimes results in class enrollments beyond the max cap. The Swannanoa Gathering reserves the right to cancel, add, and/or substitute classes and personnel if necessary. Any such changes will be posted as soon as possible on our website.
General Weekly Schedule
Each program week commences on the Sunday before classes begin with an afternoon check-in and registration period, followed by dinner, an orientation session, and evening jam sessions/socializing. Class sessions typically occur in the morning and afternoon, Monday through Friday. Our mountain campus is beautiful but hilly, so we allow 15-30 minutes between sessions to give folks enough time to get to their next class. Friday evening’s activities will conclude the week, with students expected to check-out by Saturday morning. In addition to classes, there is a variety of supplemental programming depending on the week, including “potluck sessions,” guest presenters and special visitors, panel discussions, slow jams, open-mic events, community dances, and plenty of informal jamming. Multiple programs also have vendors and luthiers on hand.
Registration operates on a first come, first served basis, so early registration is strongly encouraged. Remember that our pre-registration process, available from December through early February, saves your spot and grants you early-bird access to sign up for classes. Classes are capped at 15 students unless otherwise noted. Once a class reaches its limit, it is closed and additional students are waitlisted. Swannanoa Gathering Youth Scholars and Work Exchange Crew members remain eligible to register for closed classes, which sometimes results in class enrollments beyond the max cap. The Swannanoa Gathering reserves the right to cancel, add, and/or substitute classes and personnel if necessary. Any such changes will be posted as soon as possible on our website.
