Making Music in the Mountains

Campers awoke to a foggy morning at the
 Rockbridge Mountain Music Festival

The music continued long into the night at last weekend's Rockbridge Mountain Music Festival. To the west of my tent, cloggers and contra dancers tapped along to a four-woman string combo. North, the sonorous tones of a bass fiddle thumped in the darkness. To the northeast, two women tried to sound significant in their duet. They didn't always succeed, but the rest of their group sounded sweet and happy.

What were the boys thinking? Snug in their tent about 18 inches away from mine, they likely reveled in camping for the night after an adventurous day. Or perhaps they remembered trying to make old time mountain music.

I loved the generosity of the music-makers. One bunch of Richmond musicians invited us into their campsite and were happy to answer our questions. ("We're studying Virginia history, what can you tell us about the music?") When Samuel looked a little bored, one guy practically tossed a mandolin into his lap. This was a nice instrument, mind you, made by Martin.

Over the course of about an hour, Uriah and Samuel tried out a banjo, ukulele, fiddles, and several mandolins. My guitar is the only stringed instrument these boys have ever held, but they've had a chance to see violins and a cello played at church. Somehow, that was enough for them to know how to get a fairly nice sound out of the fiddles. As we walked away from the group, one woman -- a retired teacher -- was calling out exact directions to find a fiddle that would be the proper fit for each boy.

My tent. Just kidding. The Paxton House, built in 1831
overlooks the Glen Maury Park in Buena Vista, Va., site
of the festival.

At the dance in the evening, I explained the moves as they were called and told the boys what I knew of the round dance that came over from England and evolved into our contra and square dances. Maybe, just maybe one of the boys will grow into being a partner for me at our local contra dance?

We had only been at the festival a short time before the boys started talking about "next year." Mmmmm. I suppose if we do American history next year, this music and dancing would fit very well, thank you.