The Bluegrass Journeymen Academy

Building Bridges Through Bluegrass Photos by Elliot Siff My journey began with a text from mandolin legend Christopher Henry: “Do you want to teach mandolin in Nepal?” I said yes. Less than a week later, I was on a plane headed for Kathmandu with my mandolin case in hand. It happened very fast for me because I was replacing Colorado mandolinist Brett Kretzer as the mandolin instructor for the Bluegrass Journeymen Academy. I was quickly added to WhatsApp group chats with the rest of the crew, who had already been in Nepal for weeks. I was the new guy and a bit overwhelmed, but I was immediately welcomed into the family. When I arrived in Nepal, the first member of the Journeymen family I met in person was the Scottish fiddler extraordinaire Ben Errington, who picked me up at the airport. Errington was our fiddle instructor. When we arrived at Hotel Omana, I met the rest of the crew. Max Winkles was the banjo teacher from Wisconsin; Kretzer was the mandolin teacher (whom I�