The Handmade Music School

The Floyd Country Store is pleased to offer the Handmade Music School, dedicated to teaching old-time, bluegrass, and traditional music and dance from Floyd County, Virginia, and throughout the Blue Ridge Mountains. The philosophy of The Handmade Music School is to “hand down” the songs and dances from the teacher to the student, phrase by phrase, and step by step, the way it’s been taught in the Blue Ridge Mountains for centuries.

The Handmade Music school offers one-on-one lessons (in-person and virtual) in most acoustic instruments, specializing in old-time, bluegrass music, and folk music. Instruments taught include guitar, fiddle, banjo, bass, mandolin, dulcimer, autoharp, ukulele. The school also offers lessons in singing and dance. Lessons are appropriate for all ages at all levels of ability.

In addition to private lessons, the School also offers group workshops from visiting masters (local and from across the country). Visit our website for information on upcoming workshops and our Crowdcast page for online workshop offerings. The school also puts together an annual intensive old-time music camp: The Floyd County Old Time Music Get Together.

The goal of the Handmade Music School is to educate and celebrate the music, dance, and history of our mountains.