
wvcontests.com - Virtual Acoustic Music Contests
For Musicians By Musicians
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For Musicians By Musicians
Register for our Virtual Contests
Visit our main Facebook Contest Page
Grammy Winning Marcy Marxer and Flatpicking Legend Steve Kaufman have teamed up to host something totally unique and born out of the 2020 pandemic.
With the loss of the fiddler’s conventions and contest festivals this summer has been a tough one for those who take their vacations there each year, camping out with friends to reconnect and play music all day and into the nights. And for some, that spirit of good-natured competition that the contests inspire is what keeps us practicing and staying sharp.
Now - Virtual Contests!
About the Founding Members:
Marcy Marxer is a multi-instrumentalist, studio musician, performer, songwriter and producer with 40 years of experience and a shelf of impressive awards. Her GRAMMY Awards say “Artist, Engineer, Producer” and she is top notch at all three of those roles. Her studio engineering has graced GRAMMY award winning projects and countless indie recordings through the years.
She has played acoustic music on Emmy Award winning National Geographic specials, platinum shipping Eva Cassidy CD’s and on over 50 recordings and instructional materials created with her partner, Cathy Fink. Marcy is a two-time GRAMMY Award winner and fourteen-time GRAMMY nominee whose guitar playing spans a variety of styles- swing rhythm and lead, bluegrass, old time, Celtic fingerpicking, folk fingerpicking and some of the most tasteful backup you can hear. She plays signature a Martin guitar, signature National Steel Tenor guitar and signature KALA tenor ukulele. She is a well-loved instructor at many camps including Steve Kaufman’s Acoustic Kamp and she teaches online via Truefire, Homespun Tapes and Peghead Nation. It is the power of her playing that keeps listeners coming back.
Virtual Contest Co-Founder
See https://www.cathymarcy.com/
Steve Kaufman, at age 18, entered the National Flatpicking Championships in Winfield, KS and made the top 10. The following year was a wash. In 1977, Steve took 2nd place and in 1978, at 21 years old, he returned to win the championship. Then after being barred for 5 years he returned on the 6th year to win the 1984 championships again. Winfield bars the winner for 5 years and they can come back on the 6th year but in 1986 they decided to open up the contest to everyone and not bar the past years champs. Steve returned to win his goal. He became the winner and the first and, at this writing, the only Three Time Winner of the National Flatpicking Championships. He is also noted to have 3 consecutive wins in the Nationals because he was barred all the years he did not enter. Steve returned to Winfield to compete in the Nationals is 2013 and won 2nd place and is on the road to being the only four time winner of the National Flatpicking Championships.
Steve continues to work hard in the world of music. He began producing books and videos in 1989 after teaching private lessons for close to 20 years. His catalog of instructional materials is now over 100 items. His listening CDs and Videos number over 18. Steve began touring the world conducting seminars, workshops, clinics and concerts in 1990 and after 5 years he and his wife, Donna, began "Steve Kaufman's Flatpicking Camp." Now under the title "Steve Kaufman's Acoustic Kamps" they host a two Flatpicking Kamps, Fingerpicking Kamp, Old Time Banjo, Bluegrass Banjo, Old Time Fiddle, Bluegrass Fiddle, two Bass Kamps, Songwriting Kamp, Vocals Kamp, Mountain Dulcimer Kamp, Celtic Harp, Resophonic Guitar and Mandolin Kamp as well.
They have grown into the largest Kamps of their kind in the world with students traveling from around the world to Maryville, Tennessee. Steve and Donna have received the Gold Award from a reader's poll in Acoustic Guitar Magazine for running the "Best Workshops, Seminars and Camps" every year since 2002.
Since 1990 Steve has developed the reputation of being the "World's Guitar Instructor." Currently teaching Live Online Group Flatpicking Classes for beginners through advanced players.
Virtual Contests Co-Founder
More Exciting Virtual Contests to Come......