Roots and Sprouts Kids Music Academy
Our free, three day music camp for kids! Roots and Sprouts is perfect for shy youngsters who are just starting to express an interest in strumming along, or for kids who have been taking lessons for awhile and are ready to get on stage! Roots and Sprouts is taught by professional musicians who are warm and enthusiastic. They will lead kids in picking a song to play, and take them through the basics of learning the song, the notes, the chords, and what it all means. Then everyone gathers for a performance on the Maine Stage! For those who do not have an instrument, we have loner instruments to try! (Or they can learn to sing!)
Roots and Sprouts Schedule 2024
Thursday from 5pm-6pm: Register for the camp, and pick up a loner instrument if needed (first come/first serve)
Friday/Saturday 10am-12pm: Attend class at the Saco River Pavillion (across from Stage Too with the huge bleachers and open pavillion)
Sunday 10am-10:30 --dress rehearsal at the Pavillion
10:30am-11am-perform on Maine Stage!
Meet 2024's Instructors, Mamma's Marmalade!
Mamma's Marmalade (Lily Sexton; fiddle, vocals, Mitch Bordage; mandolin, Sean Davis; guitar, and Josh Ballard; bass)
Mamma’s Marmalade started in a UMass dorm room when Lily Sexton and Mitch Bordage bonded over bluegrass. In 2016, the pair were participating at an open mic when a tall young man named Sean Davis asked to join them on stage for a tune. Davis’s tenacious flatpicking caught their attention immediately. “The guitar is an incredibly integral part of any band, but within bluegrass, a guitarist has to fill so many roles,” says Sexton. “They have to be rhythmic magicians, and sometimes you get lucky with the rare player who can take leads as well.” With his expansive understanding of the fretboard, improvisational skill, and exquisite timing, Davis was the full package.. “We’ve spent years honing our improv skills, our instrumental tone, our ability to harmonize, our rhythm, and our energy to create a compelling live show,” says Davis.
In 2023, the band found their missing piece (as many fans will enthusiastically articulate) in bassist Josh Ballard. Ballard immediately captivates audiences with his deep grooves, creative soloing techniques, and rich, warm tone.
Regardless of their relative virtuosity at the beginning of their adventure, today Mamma’s Marmalade is composed of a group of artists that know how to work together as one. They will begin recording their fifth studio album this summer.
