RBS member Michael Satterwhite taught two “Musical Bones” work-shops again at the Arizona Highland Celtic Festival (http://nachs.info/festival.shtml) on July 21-21,2012 in Flagstaff, Arizona.The festival is produced by the Northern Arizona Celtic Heritage Society (NACHS). Michael has taught this workshop on prior years and loves introducing curious folks to the fun of playing rhythm bones. He uses ‘penny bones’ {see Dutch Penny Bones article in online RBP newsletter, Vol. 7, No. 4) so everyone can begin to learn the basic mechanics of playing, and they are affordable enough for the festival to send everyone home with instruments. The workshops are full of giggling and banter as players realize they too can deliver a basic rhythm and bones can be flying every which way.
Michael’s final request of his new bones players is to observe them playing their new bones as they take in the various musical offerings of the week-end. Wooden bones from various suppliers are offered close to cost. At Bones Fest XV he learned a huge amount and was able to carry back more knowledge to share with his students.
Michael says that the NACHS festival has “a strong educational component which is exemplified by the bones, bodhran, and spoons workshops. They are joined by whisky-tasting, language, storytelling, genealogy, Celtic attire, Celtic plants, the history of salt and much more.”