Acoustic Sound Inc

Held at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue, the Wintergrass family includes kids, young adults, artists, students, volunteers, non-profit and business partners, and civic leaders. No matter the age or the role, every participant has a hand in creating the joyous, memorable four-day event. Emerging and accomplished artists collaborate with festival producers. Past students become advisory members and assistant educators. Volunteers revel in their leadership roles. Board and staff work closely together year round to develop education programs and to produce a respected music event. Wintergrass Music Festival relies on the loyal service of 300+ volunteers. The Wintergrass family is committed to creating with integrity, beauty, generosity and abundance. Among the 200 artists and educators who participate each year from around the world, there are also 12,000 festival-attendees. Over half bring acoustic instruments to create spontaneous jam sessions throughout the Hyatt Regency Hotel. The music vendors who line the open to the public corridors create a lively atmosphere inviting interested folks into their booths to jam or sample wares. Wintergrass Music Festival values inclusion and compassion, fostering the notion that listening to and playing music is a significant component of a healthy lifestyle. All of our music education programs are designed to encourage music for a lifetime. Featured Programs Sharing tunes and tradition is the cornerstone on which the house of bluegrass is built. Wintergrass makes sure that people of every age and ability have a place to listen and to learn. Wintergrass is known for its quality live performances which include young and emerging artists, GRAMMY award winning artists and artists from around the world. Wintergrass hosts an abundance of education programs for children beginning as young as 4 through adulthood. Pintgrass serves children 4-6 who discover dance, music, instruments and rhythm. The Youth Academy serves 100 youth, ages 7 to 14, who learn ensemble skills, how to play by ear and develop stage presence. The Youth Orchestra is comprised of 100 students from six regional middle schools who gather for the months-long program learning and playing music composed by award winning artists. Designed to bridge the gap between classical and oral tradition music, students learn ear training, the study of traditional songs and styles, and are exposed to both classical and traditional bluegrass instruments. The Youth Academy Teacher in Training Program gives students an early glimpse of mentoring and teaching. Participants are taught by credentialed teachers and professional musicians. Rhapsody Songsters, a music apprenticeship program, welcomes young people from 16-20 who are mentored in various aspect of music business, including performance, festival production, photography, marketing, graphic arts and fund development. All programs are designed to foster a lifelong love of music participation. For the first time, we offered a Music Educator Fellowship Program designed to give professional educators hands-on experience incorporating traditional music into their teaching practices. Along with student education, adults attend over 60 workshops or participate in a half or full day Intensives from accomplished artists. Altogether, Wintergrass has a unique way of attracting any interested person who wants to learn. We find ways to financially support anyone who asks.