A&E

Roots Camp coming in July

Louisiana Folk Roots and the Comeaux Memorial Endowed Chair in Traditional Music have announced the inaugural Roots Camp for ages 14-17 starting from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday-Wednesday, July 25-27, in Angelle Hall on the UL Lafayette campus.

Louisiana Folk Roots and the Dr. Tommy Comeaux Memorial Endowed Chair in Traditional Music have announced the inaugural Roots Camp for ages 14-17 starting from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday-Wednesday, July 25-27, in Angelle Hall on the UL Lafayette campus.

This rigorous new program for young musicians is an outgrowth of Louisiana Folk Roots’ wildly successful Cajun and Creole Summer Camp for Kids ages 8-14 held every June. The debut three-day Roots Camp will focus on essential elements of musicianship including arranging and improvisation.

The camp will be directed by noted fiddler, accordionist and educator Jonno Frishberg, and the camp staff will include Chris Munson of the UL Lafayette School of Music and Grammy-nominated multi-instrumentalist Brazos Huval of Steve Riley & The Mamou Playboys.

Roots Camp is open to accordionists, fiddlers and guitarists from ages 14-17. Prospective students can apply by uploading two performance videos. The cost for the three-day camp is $200, and accepted campers will purchase their own lunches daily in the UL Lafayette Student Union.

To apply, prospective students must upload their video audition files by 5 p.m. Tuesday, July 5. Students should submit two files: one of them performing a song of their choice and another of them performing “La valse de vacher,” which was recorded by Dennis McGee and Ernest Frugé more than 80 years ago.

For more information on Roots Camp including how to upload audition videos, contact Louisiana Folk Roots at [email protected] or at 337-234-8360.