Zoukology 2025 Review
Earlier this month my friends Ken, Anne, Steve, Louis and I hosted our (we think) 7th Zoukology camp weekend in Albuquerque, and it was a banner year! Our little low key bouzouki/mandolin camp had our highest attendance, including many folks who have become regulars as well as some brand new faces we welcomed into the CBOM fold. That’s a whole lotta double-courses up there!
As usual, we had our Thursday night gathering to introduce ourselves, discuss the potential classes for the weekend, and have a little jam. From there, each morning started with Anne’s gentle yoga for musicians, followed by general warm-ups and exercises for everyone before splitting off into a couple groups, typically GDAD vs GDAE, or folks who wanted to learn bluegrass or blues tunes with Steve and folks who wanted to focus on song or Celtic accompaniment Louis, Anne or me. We’ve always kept the format of the camp fluid, allowing attendee requests and interests to help guide and determine at least some of the course material. (A bit of struggle for a Type A like me who likes to be all prepared with handouts in advance!)
Friday night we always have our staff concert, which is open to the public. Ken has a beautiful space specially designed for performances, so it’s always a treat to play there. Every year we collaborate in various subgroups, which keeps everyone on their toes! You can check out the live stream here.
It always goes by too quickly! On Sunday night when we were discussing our favorite moments of the weekend, Ken mentioned that his was during the final lunch watching everyone chat away, connecting about music and beyond it. We’ve really become a little community, and I look forward to going back out west a little more after every trip!
We’ve already settled on Thursday, January 29-Sunday, February 1 for our 2026 dates, so mark your calendar and reach out if you’d like to learn more!
Zoukology staff (l-r): Lindsay Straw, Ken Gilman, Louis Scuderi, Anne Luna, Steve Smith
