Kids On Bluegrass

The California Bluegrass Association is well known and acknowledged for our Kids on Bluegrass (KOB) programs.  KOB has been emulated by festivals around the world including the International Bluegrass Music Association’s (IBMA) annual event, the World of Bluegrass.

Helen Foley, Cara and Frannie DiGiovanni (CBA members and CBA Kids on Bluegrass) appear in France at La Roche Bluegrass Festival.

CBA member Frank Solivan Sr. put together a group of young pickers at a festival a quarter century ago because his then young musician son, Frank Solivan II, wanted to play on the main stage.  Play they did and the Kids on Bluegrass (KOB) program began.  Frank Senior still coordinates the program which welcomes other adult volunteers.  The CBA King’s River Bluegrass Festival also has a smaller KOB program.

Today KOB is one of our most popular events with two performances on the main stage of our Father’s Day Festival.  Children 3-18 with musical skills meet with Frank Solivan and staff beginning on Thursday morning of the Festival and by Friday at dinnertime have an hour set put together and ready to present.  This is a performance activity and requires long rehearsal time from its participants.  The reward for the kids (and parents) is huge.  Children learn that performing music takes discipline and the ability to work together in a group.

Some of the graduates of the KOB program have become professional musicians and appear on stages all over the world.  The IBMA often invites select young musicians from our KOB program to travel to the World of Bluegrass to perform.  Max Schwartz and AJ Lee were also asked to appear in the Discover Bluegrass DVD produced by the IBMA.

2015

2015