Music Education

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Music Education *

Three young men with musical instruments on a stage: one is holding a double bass, another is holding a cello, and the third is looking at sheet music on a stand.

Workshops

As part of our charter, the Durango Celtic Festival is not confined to just one weekend a year. We also sponsor house concerts and school outreach. During the Festival, we offer workshops presented by our guest musicians. Typical workshops may include: Fiddle, whistle, singing, dance, guitar, drum, music production, mandolin, bouzouki, etc. The schedule varies from year to year based on the musicians who are performing.

A group of young musicians performing with violins, cellos, and a guitar in an indoor venue, with a sign on the wall that reads 'Amoco Orchestra Seating'.

Be Frank Foundation

The Be Frank Foundation has been providing quality music education and instrument rentals to students in La Plata County since 2008. Hundreds of students are involved in 23 programs thru Bayfield, Ignacio & Durango schools. The Be Frank students have been a part of the Durango Celtic Festival for the past few years and will be featured on this year’s stage.

A musical performance on stage with four musicians: a violinist, a flutist, a guitarist, and an electronic keyboard player. The stage has colorful, abstract tree-like backdrops and is equipped with microphones and speakers. An audience watches from the foreground.

In Our Schools

Over the years some of our fine, local public school music instructors have partnered with us to bring our festival artist into the schools. This has carried into the music programs themselves with students from primary to high-school learning Celtic tunes for their school orchestras and bands. During the festival you may see one or more of these student-led bands performing just outside the Concert Hall. It is our great joy to see the growth of our favorite genre working itself into the music of the next generation.

The picture shown is Heron Valley doing a school performance with instructor Dennon Jones at Escalante Middle School in 2025.