Our tutors for 2024 are Dave O’Neill and tba. Dave and tba will each teach both classes at camp.
Dave O’Neill
Dave O’Neill is an internationally recognised multi-instrumentalist and has been a professional musician and teacher for over 35 years. Based in Canberra, he plays fiddle, mandolin, guitar, ukulele, banjo and sings. Dave has played with a number of Australian artists such as Eric Bogle and the Bushwhackers, and has toured and recorded overseas with a number of internationally acclaimed artists in America and Europe. He is well known in the Australian folk scene, both as a musician and as a former Artistic Director of the National Folk Festival. Dave is an in-demand teacher for adults in Irish, bluegrass and other folk styles.
Sarah Davies
Sarah plays fiddle in a style that is filled with joy and energy, incorporating elements of Scottish, Cape Breton, American old time, Contra/New England, and Québecois traditional music. She plays as a dance musician with Paverty Bush Band and Canberra Contra Club, and previously performed with Contratemps, Spoot o’ Skerry, and Wild Honey (with Jo Cresswell). She is a devoted addict of the American Old Time music sessions in Canberra. Sarah has taught fiddle and stepdance workshops at music camps and festivals in Australia and the US, and has given private lessons to people of all ages and abilities. She helps people to play music in a way that suits them; there is no one ‘right’ way. She loves for people to take what works, leave what doesn’t, and adapt what they have learned to suit their own personal expression.
Jo Cresswell – Camp Director
Jo Cresswell is co-founder and Director of the camp. Jo has a passion for creative projects that get people out of their heads and into their hearts and creativity. She is also committed to creating musical projects that are human scale, sustainable and encourage education and connection.
For many years she was on staff at the National Folk Festival where she was Artistic Director and developed their long-running Easter School program. She is a concertina player, pianist and improvisational step dancer, established the Celtic Arts Agency placing music teachers in primary schools, and as part of her holistic approach to life she also runs annual music and walking trips to France with Dave O’Neill, recommencing in September 2023.
Sharon Casey – Admin Support
Sharon is also a former National Folk Festival staff member, amateur fiddler and singer, and arts administrator. Sharon’s arts administration business, ArtSorcery, helps artists set up administration systems that are cheap and modern. She is our cunning technical wizard and will be on hand to smooth life at camp.
Charlotte Pass Celtic Music Camp 