Find all the music for the Junior camp here!
The musical focus of 2026 is the melodic writing of Greg Bacon. His compositions have been described by the music team as “complex, textural, bouncy, and timeless.”
In the pieces selected by the music team, you will hear lots of potential jam favorites, tunes with Irish influence, as well as melodies written in close collaboration with John Ciaglia. We will also be bringing in arrangers to add their different styles of harmony to some of Bacon’s works. Samples of Bacon’s writing from the 90s up to 2025 will be included. We will feature some recognizable tunes, as well as buried treasure: lesser known tunes that have not been published or performed yet, but will knock your socks off!
Here are some words from the musical artist:
Why do we adore some melodies and ignore others? With just a few notes and measures, how is it possible to create something that sounds fresh while still rooted in tradition? How can a tune feel timeless the moment it is written?
I’ve been chasing these questions since I was a teenager, inspired by my mentor and friend Roy Watrous, who composed some of our most beloved fife and drum tunes. Today I spent the morning dissecting the evasive modal melodies of Irish fiddler and composer Paddy Fahey. I’m completely enamored with how his music feels both ambiguous and natural.
My own writing is simply a reflection of the work that has inspired me, from Watrous to Fahey and so many in between.If my tunes bring others even half the joy I’ve found in the music of those who came before me, I’d be twice as grateful for having written a quarter of them.
I’m thrilled to hear how our community’s up-and-coming fifers and drummers interpret the melodies that rattled from my head!