The California Bluegrass Association presents...

Julian Family Fiddle Camp

May 1st-5th 2024

Purchase JFFC Benefit Concert Tickets

Prairie Sky
March 30 at the Julian Town Hall

Inaugurated in 2011, the Julian Family Fiddle Camp (JFFC) is a five-day acoustic music camp for people of all ages and musical abilities. JFFC is held annually at a full-service, rural family retreat center near the historic mining town of Julian, CA. All meals, instruction and evening concerts are provided for a single fee.

The JFFC experience is a celebration of life. It is as educational as it is social. Lifelong friendships often begin here, with many people returning year after year to enjoy a very special break from their usual day-to-day routine.

Julian Family Fiddle Camp Logo

Your Support makes a difference!

With your help, the CBA continues to improve and develop our camps & education programs, plus we enable more to attend.  Thank you!

A family music camp

The Julian Family Fiddle Camp knows there’s much to raising good people and fine musicians (yes, in that order). Indeed, in our view, a positive music camp experience is one that stimulates the interest in music by exposing us to musical sub-cultures that exemplify patience and generosity through the sharing of traditional and accessible tunes – an experience that enhances, encourages and represents an ageless participation in a uniquely human celebration.

While musicians young and old may share their favored tunes, parents and/or chaperones coming to a music camp may have additional things to talk about with others in the same boat. This parental “sharing of notes” is not only inevitable, at JFFC it’s encouraged. Indeed, we make a point of introducing parents to one another, and have built into our program a special time for them, chaperones and interested others to meet and get to know one another.

girl in braids playing fiddle seated
4 musicians playing outdoors downtown Julian CA

Something for everyone

As long as you can play a couple of simple tunes on fiddle, mandolin, guitar or banjo, and/or know how to pluck a bass and keep decent time, we have a class and instructor for you! Our 2024 instruction will include classes in Appalachian old-time and bluegrass style fiddle; flat-pick and rhythm guitar; bluegrass mandolin; bluegrass and old-time banjo; upright bass; band dynamics; harmony vocals, and many other specialized workshops.

Julian Family Fiddle Camp honors acoustic music traditions as well as musical innovation. People from 8 to 88 come to the Camp for many reasons. While everyone seeks fun and instruction, we are particularly sensitive to:

  • Classical musicians seeking more comfort playing “off the page”
  • Young musicians hoping to broaden their skills, interests, and repertoires
  • Adult instrumentalists who wish to rejuvenate their skills and expand their network of musical friends

Register Online here

Camp Dates: May 1st-5th 2024

Register today!  Early-bird pricing ends February 1.

Adam Roszkiewicz

Julian Family Fiddle Camp Director

Adam Roszkiewicz is a Grammy nominated multi-instrumentalist and composer from the west coast of the United States. Specializing in Folk, Americana, and Classical Crossover genres he has played with the Modern Mandolin Quartet, Front Country, Small Town Therapy, the Ger Mandolin Orchestra, and many others. Adam has performed at music festivals around the world including: Merle Fest, Grey Fox, Bristol Rhythm and Roots, Rockygrass, Telluride, the La Roche bluegrass festival in France, the Didmartin bluegrass festival in England, the Blue Highways festival in Utrecht, Holland, the Singer Festival in Warsaw, Poland and the Hardly-Strictly-Bluegrass festival in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. In 2013 Adam received a Grammy nomination for his work with the Modern Mandolin Quartet.

What to Bring

  • Your instrument(s) with your name labeled somewhere on the instrument or case
  • Bedding (Sleeping bag or sheets & blankets) / Towels / Personal pillow
  • Personal toiletries / Medication(s) / Mask (optional)
  • Warm clothes (in case of rain and/or snow)
  • Sun screen
  • Small digital recording device / Personal cameras
  • Extra strings for your instrument
  • Comfortable hiking/walking shoes
  • Slip-on shoes for showers

Camp Policies

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, ILLEGAL DRUGS, AND PETS ARE NOT PERMITTED

Possession or use of illegal drugs or alcoholic beverages will result in removal from the camp without refund.

Visitors and guests are not permitted to bring pets unless it is used to assist the visually impaired.

SMOKING AND FIRES

  • Smoking must be confined to designated areas defined by the manager.
  • Fires may only be ignited in specifically designated fire rings, using provided wood only.
  • Removal of, or tampering with fire or safety equipment is prohibited.