We all love Squid Jiggin' Ground and Tickle Cove Pond, but there are hundreds of beautiful Newfoundland traditional songs that do not appear in the standard Newfoundland song books, or on locally produced CDs.

Come to the St. John's Folk Arts Council Repertoire Building Workshop! Traditional singers Anita Best, Joe Byrne, Jean Hewson and Greg Walsh will teach you some Newfoundland songs that you won't find in popular books, or on many recordings! The instructors will also offer a bit of background on the songs, and hints and tips about traditional singing in general.

This workshop will take place over a four week period. Each class will be 90 minutes long, and will cover two songs, for a total of eight new songs in all. Each participant will also receive an instructional CD of the songs covered, as well as lyric sheets. The classes will be hosted by a different facilitator each week.

ANITA BEST: Anita Best is a true renaissance artist in the Newfoundland folk - traditional scene. Best's beautiful singing and careful interpretation has enriched and extended an art form she has devoted her life to preserving since her days growing up on the island of Merasheen in Placentia Bay. She has recorded a number of CDs including her solo album, Crosshanded, and The Colour of Amber with Pamela Morgan. She is deeply involved in the cultural life of our community as a researcher, performer, broadcaster, and teacher.

JOE BYRNE: Joe Byrne hails from Paradise Placentia Bay. He had a great deal of exposure to traditional music as a child. His mother would sing around the house while performing her chores; her songs becoming part of the tapestry of his daily life. When the Newfoundland folk music revival started to blossom in the early 70's, he and his brother Pat began collecting traditional songs from friends and family. Around this time, Pat and Joe hooked up with the Wareham brothers to form THE BREAKWATER BOYS; a group which also featured Rufus Guinchard and Clyde Rose. In 1983, Joe, his brother Pat, and Baxter Wareham released Towards the Sunset; one of the best known and most influential Newfoundland albums of the 80's. This album was re-released last year in CD format , and continues to enjoy it's standing as a Newfoundland classic.

JEAN HEWSON: Jean Hewson is a well known musician and teacher, who is committed to "passing on" the unique musical repertoire of Newfoundland. She has performed extensively throughout Canada, the US and the UK with fiddler/cellist Christina Smith. Their duo CD Like Ducks! was nominated for an ECMA in 2000. Jean has also given many seminars in traditional singing and guitar accompaniment at festivals, conferences and music camps.

GREG WALSH: Greg Walsh has been playing music since he was a young child. Starting with a drum set many years ago, Greg became a talented multi-instrumentalist, playing fiddle, guitar, banjo, mandolin, and accordion. In addition to playing a thousand instruments, Greg is also a tremendous singer! He is a mild mannered archivist working with the Newfoundland Provincial Archives by day, and by night, he becomes one of St. John's best known traditional artists, lending his musical talents to many other bands, including THE NAVIGATORS, and the RAY WALSH FAMILY BAND.