Music celebration changes in name only

Mar. 9—NELSONVILLE, Ohio Old — Time Music week is back as the annual Happy Hollow Hootenanny, scheduled for June 8 through 11.

The event, at the Snow Fork Event Center, will celebrate music, art and the culture of the central Appalachian foothills. Workshops in Old Time Music, dancing and calling, traditional crafts and other topcis will be offered.

Attendees will have the opportunity to learn from prestigious instructors such as John Harrod, who has been performing traditional fiddle music for more than 45 years, banjo player Nadia Ramlagan and mandolin instructor Zeke Hutchinson.

"There's a big community of musicians and ... I just love to be a part of something like that where everybody's just coming together to do something they love," Harrod said.

Harrod said he enjoys teaching fiddle music as a way of life and has learned from more than 100 different fiddlers in his own career. He said he's most looking forward to connecting with some of his favorite musicians and plans on teaching music from the Ohio River region.

Ramlagan, who has been playing the banjo for more than a decade, said she loves the instrument because it's a combination of rhythm, melody and string.

"I was really drawn to the mesmerizing nature of the music," she said.

This year, Ramlagan said she's looking forward to teaching a number of advanced banjo workshops all weekend and focusing on various banjo tune aspects.

"I love that experience of being around people who are just picking up their instruments for the first time and having everybody mixed together with musicians who've been playing this music for years," she said. "It's really special."

For more information or to reserve space, contact the venue at (740) 753-1924 or dylan@stuartsoperahouse.org.