Newsletter
Updated 6-7
Mike's
Calendar
Updated 8-11
Prairie Grapevine Folklore Society
Workshop Central
Author, singer, storyteller, singer, dulcimer player, educator, workshop leader, multi-instrumentalist...
Mike’s now on the Illinois ArtsTour Roster! Click here to see how this can help you bring Mike to your school, library, festival, or museum!
Workshop Options:
Option
1: A Show
Mike’s kids’ shows are legendary. His dynamic performance style keeps
the audience, both young and old, entranced. Stories and 5 different musical
instruments make his shows kids will talk about for quite a while.
Option
2: Build a Junk Instrument
A) A demonstration of musical instruments beginning with a horse’s
jawbone and ending with a modern guitar. Mike walks through the development of
folk instruments discussing and demonstrating what our ancestors used to make
music. (All ages)
B) A short talk on the history of instruments and then the actual building of an
instrument using tin cans, fishing line, a chunk of wood, and some adult
helpers. See the back page for a materials list. (Ages 7+)
Option 3:
Storytelling
Mike is a renowned storyteller with the ability to reach multi-age
audiences. Whether telling his stories of growing up with his next-door neighbor
Denny or relating traditional tales, Mike blends stories and music to make a
great show. (All ages)
Option 4: I
Can Play!
This is a workshop Mike has kept under wraps for the last few years. In
an hour, Mike can teach a bunch of kids how to play kazoo, shaker egg, noseflute,
jawharp, and make a strong attempt at the bones. Really. This workshop is a lot
of fun! There are several instrument fee packages available. The kids get to
keep the instruments. (Ages 7 – adult)
Materials and Other Important Information:
The "Build a Junk Instrument" workshop requires that the location provide cans (1 per child, soup can size), markers, stickers, hammers, and some warm bodies to help. (Most libraries have the kids bring the cans and the hammers.)
The “I Can Play!” workshop requires an instrument fee
for all participants. Most places get a donation of $$ from a local
business or have the kids bring the $$ themselves. There
are several packages available:
Package #1: Noseflute, Kazoo, and
Jawharp: $10.00
Package #2: Jawharp with Noseflute OR Kazoo: $7.00
Package #3: Shaker egg, Noseflute, AND kazoo: $7.00
Package #4: Noseflute and kazoo: $43.00
Spoons can be added to any package for $6.50
A shaker egg can be added to any package for $3.00
THE NOT SO FINE PRINT:
Fees are variable. The more shows in an area, the cheaper the shows are individually. Contact Mike and discuss your needs. He can usually work within most budgets.
- Mike sells his books, recordings, and other things after his shows. This is how he's able to offer libraries a reduced fee. If, due to policy, this is not possible please contact Mike for an adjusted fee schedule.
- No mileage is charged within 150 miles round-trip of Jacksonville, IL, it's 40˘ per mile for mileage above 150 miles round-trip.
- Two show locations may split a day and save both some $$$.
- The locations and schedule must be within easy driving distance to allow Mike to go from one to the other without violating too many traffic laws. If two locations book together and one cancels, the remaining library’s fee will revert to the one show fee. (I have gotten stung several times.)
- If you wish to block book with several libraries over a number of days, contact Mike for an adjusted fee schedule.
Live outside Illinois? Mike travels out-of-state quite a bit, so contact him to arrange fees for your location.
Ready for Mike to come to your town? Click here to get him there!
But wait! Even more workshops (I'm a workshop buffet...):
-
Storytelling in the Classroom
-
Storytelling for Literacy for Early Childhood Teachers, Providers, and/or Parents
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Promoting Higher Level Thinking Through Classroom Activities
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Writing Stories for Telling: either for adults or kids, but not together
-
Beginning Storytelling Performing for Kids: an adult class about doing shows for kids
-
Performance for Kids: a kid class on performance technique
-
Build a Monster: includes art, creativity, and storytelling -all ages
-
Performance Techniques
-
Advanced/Beginner's Mountain Dulcimer
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Mt. Dulcimer Tune Decoration: trills, hammer-ons, chording, cheap tricks
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Kids’ Music: not a kid’s class, utilizing Mountain Dulcimer, guitar, banjo, etc.
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Kids’ Songs- writing & playing pocket instruments: how to play jawharp, bones, noseflute, etc.
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Making Musical Instruments from Junk: for kids or adults an interactive workshop
-
Putting out a Tape or CD
WORKSHOPS AND CONFERENCES
where
Mike’s been Keynote Speaker or Presenter:
- Southern Illinois AEYC Early Childhood Conference - Early Childhood and GED presentations
- Illinois State Board of Education Language Arts Committee
- Illinois Family Literacy Conference: story as a literacy tool presentation
- Storytelling For Literacy Early Childhood Workshops: for teachers and parents
- Appalachian State University, Boone, NC: dulcimer playing and children’s music
- West Carolina University, Cullowee, NC: dulcimer playing and children’s music
- Purdue University: storytelling and dulcimer
- Illinois Reading Council: featured speaker
- Springfield Educational Conference
- Northeast Missouri State University: musical instrument construction
- Whirlwind Storytelling Weekend: featured presenter, Riverwind’s Storytelling Guild
- MO - Tell: storytelling workshop
- Illini Storytelling Guild: workshop
- Children’s workshops where we built instruments, monsters, and stories
- Teacher In-Service workshops on storytelling and music for non-musical people or integration of music and/or storytelling into the classroom.
- Midwest 5 Regional Office of Education Gifted Education Workshops