It has always been a struggle in Grass Seeds to accommodate such a wide variety of ages and ability levels. The past several years, we couldn’t help but notice how many young, advanced players were showing up at the festivals. There has also been an increase in the number of Grass Seeds registrations in the 14 to 18 year-old age group, many who have attended Grass Seeds several times.

It was obvious these older kids needed a very different, more age-appropriate experience than we were offering in Grass Seeds. We needed to provide them with their own social experience and move away from teaching only the traditional bluegrass tunes. They clearly want to learn to play what they listen to. We experimented with a few different things, but didn’t really hit on anything that worked. That is until 2011, when we started GS2.

Now in its 12th year, GS2 has been quite a success! These kids have had a great experience and are really an inspiration to the younger ones. Our goals for GS2 are the same as Grass Seeds and the structure of the weekend is pretty much the same, we are just raising the bar by including advanced instrumental technique, three and four part vocal harmonies and improvisation. GS2 decides as a group what songs to work on. We encourage them to choose more progressive songs from the contemporary artists they enjoy listening to. Then they get to work creating their own arrangement, not just reproducing it as recorded. They will focus in on what it takes to be a member of a performing group. The discussion topics are also determined by the group so we can best meet the specific needs of the kids that year.

The minimum age to participate in GS2 is 14 and space is limited to about 10 students. We recommend at least four to five years of playing with a good working knowledge of common chords and scales. Basic instrumental technique should be solid and familiarity with ensemble playing is expected. Students must be able to learn quickly by ear. Previous participation in Grass Seeds is not required. Everyone who is interested in GS2 will participate in a jam session first thing Friday night, the instructors will make their decision at that time. All participants must register for Grass Seeds, we cannot guarantee your child will be selected for GS2 at time of registration. There is no additional cost for GS2 and no refunds will be given if your child is not selected. GS2 will have the same schedule as Grass Seeds and students will be required to perform in the concert on Sunday.