Music camp draws record number

Fiddle students work at music camp. photo by Torri Barco

The six Booher siblings taught a record number of students last week in their summer music camp.

The 15th annual Booher Family Music Camp more than doubled its number of students last week, jumping to an all-time record of 125 students, up dramatically from last year's 53, Brendan Booher said.

The camp, which ran August 3-9 at Sisters Community Church and cost $425 per person, drew students of all ages from Oregon, Washington, and California.

The camp featured three piano classes, three guitar classes, five fiddle classes, and added for the first year private lessons in guitar, fiddle, banjo, mandolin and bass. The Boohers hired four new instructors and used Meriwyn Booher, 25, and Ben Booher, 24, in more active teaching roles, primarily in private lessons, Brendan said.

Families said they came to rekindle old friendships; others said they needed the superior instruction of the award-winning musicians and others said they appreciate the old-time, family-oriented musical tradition the Booher's represent.

Marsha Wynn, 44, of Corvallis sat with Sheila Fry of Coos Bay, during a camp break time, talking about the joys of fiddle and encouraging others to attend Meriwyn Booher's yodeling class.

"If you ask our kids today about the history of fiddle tunes, they have no clue," Fry said. "But the kids here, they know. They can say, 'This is how my grandpa played it.' There's such a historical context to the old-time fiddle tunes. If we don't pass it down to our kids, then it's going to stop here. So few families do that, but the Boohers have. It's in their blood, it really is."

Fry, who's been playing fiddle for a year, said Rudi Booher's newly-released, old-time and classic fiddle CDs inspired her to come to the music camp.

"I was a fan of Celtic fiddle music for years, but Rudi inspired me to take up old-time fiddle music," Fry said. "One thing I like is that it is passed down, kind of like stories are passed down by elders. I also like this camp (because it) teaches you to play by ear. I think it brings the music more into your being. I also like it because it brings families together."

The toe-tapping fun joined a large family together at the camp. Brice Voetburg, 17, came to the camp with her parents and her nine siblings. Her cousin, Michael Voetburg, 15, came with her family of 15.

"The instruction is excellent and our family got to be really good friends with the Boohers when we met them during the first camp," Brice Voetburg said. "The instructors are personable, kind and many of them have a strong faith, and for kids, that sends a warm atmosphere over the camp."

With all the success, Brendan Booher said he hopes to hire more teachers and conduct two music camps during the summer next year, with better sleeping accommodations.

He also said he is looking to purchase a property in Sisters to build a retreat-like setting of cabins to hold year-round music camps, and to rent out to Christian retreats and seminars.

Booher said he is considering purchasing a 25-acre, privately-owned property just east of Cloverdale Road for the project.