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Saturday Jam Class

Name: Saturday Jam Class
Start: 2026-02-28T10:00:00-05:00
End: 2026-02-28T16:00:00-05:00
Location: First Unitarian Society of Ithaca

Feb 28 @ 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

Taught by Paul Fairbanks & Rick Manning using the Wernick Method

Ithaca, NY

First Unitarian Society of Ithaca, 306 N. Aurora Street
Ithaca, NY 14850

Saturday 10:00am-4:00pm

Tuition: $75

$25 holds your spot. 50% refundable for cancellations more than one month in advance.

As soon as you register you’ll receive our Student Prep Guide with links to our 116 Bluegrass Jam Favorites Playlists. A digital copy of our JAM Songbook will be emailed shortly thereafter, and you’ll also get a hard copy of the book at your class if you don’t already have one.

Non-Bluegrass Instruments

Non-bluegrass instruments should join the waitlist to be notified of vacancies at a later time. Bass, dobro, fiddle, guitar, and mandolin should register now.

Waitlist Form

Banjos at Full!

Join the waitlist; space may open up.

Waitlist Form

Class Flyer

Paul Fairbanks & Rick Manning

Paul Fairbanks (Ithaca, NY) has been playing banjo, teaching, performing, and jamming since the 1980s. He’s been a regular contributor to the Winter Village Music camp since its inception. Paul brings a down-to-earth teaching style, coupled with a healthy dose of humor, and unlimited patience. He performs with the band Grassanova. Rick Manning (Ithaca, NY) plays fiddle and mandolin, performing bluegrass, swing and contradance music with Paris Texas, String Theory, The Falling Waters Trio, The Contradictions and Cornerstone in the Ithaca and Finger Lakes area. Rick is the founder and director of the Winter Village/Falling Waters Music Camps and has been a leader in supporting the growth of Bluegrass and acoustic music in the Northeast.

Email Paul & Rick

Watch Rick & Paul Play

Watch Paul Teach

Visit Paul’s Website

“Rick was readily available and generous with his time. He had many useful comments for our jam group.”

“Paul’s style of teaching is student centered. He’s good at figuring out what your strengths are, and playing to that in a super positive and encouraging way. I feel like I am getting a wonderfully rich and textured ‘banjo education’ by a gifted educator and fun dude. What a combo”

“It was great to have Rick’s quiet steady coaching in my jam group. I appreciated his suggestions.”

“It’s been a real pleasure working with Paul. He’s patient and knowledgeable and always willing to work with the student as a person.”

“What a fine musician Rick is! He was very adept during the cross-picking session and then I got to hear him play mandolin and fiddle – great stuff!.”

“Paul was great at getting the group to listen to each other, and had a great sense of humor. We always had a smile when he coached.”