The 2026 Workshop Program is currently being worked. What you will see below is under development and not final. Watch our Facebook page for news as our program, reflected on this page, comes together.
2026 Workshop Program
The following is the list of workshops planned for the 2026 Native Rhythms Festival. All of these workshops are free, except as noted, where a nominal fee is charged to cover the cost of materials the attendee will take away from the workshop. All of these workshops have limited enrollment (most limited by the space in the workshop tent). Early (on-line) registration is strongly encouraged (when the registration opens, which it is NOT currently).
Workshop Registration
Use the instructions at the bottom of this page for advanced registration for individual workshops. Seats in all workshops will be allocated on a first-come/first-serve basis, beginning with advanced registration from this page. Any remaining seats (not allocated by advanced registration) will be available for on-site registration on a first-come/first-serve basis at the workshop check-in tent. Once all available seats have been allocated, a waiting list will be established for each workshop.
When registering, please limit your selections to 5 workshops that you actually plan to attend. PLEASE do not register for workshops that you “might” want to attend. It’s not fair to others if workshops reach their stated capacity only because numerous people who aren’t sure they will attend have registered, and others who really want to attend are blocked from registering. If you have more than 5 workshops that you want to attend, list those additional workshops in the stand-by section of your registration message and you will be placed on the waiting list for them.
Upon receipt of your registration request message, our workshop registrar will send an e-mail to you to confirm your registration or indicate your position on the waiting list. That confirmation message will come from the e-mail address workshop.registration@nativerhythmsfestival.com. Nothing else will be accepted as confirmation of your registration. You may wish to print out your confirmation e-mail message from workshop.registration@nativerhythmsfestival.com when it arrives, and bring it with you to the festival.
In the past, some of our flute enthusiasts have registered for all workshops, including those they did not actually plan to attend. This prevented people wanting to attend those workshops from registering. We ask all to please be respectful of others. Do not sign up for workshops that you don’t definitely plan to attend.
On-line advanced registration will open when the workshop schedule is published and closes at the end of the day on Sunday, November 8, 2026. A waiting list will be maintained when the workshop capacity is reached.
A workshop check-in tent will be set up at the entrance to the large workshop tent. All advanced (pre-registered) registrants must check-in at the workshop check-in tent upon arrival at the festival on the day of their workshops to confirm their presence and their plan to participate in the workshops for which they have registered. Seats not confirmed in this manner will be reopened and made available to those on the stand-by list.
Although most of the workshops are designated as “space available” and likely will be able to accommodate all who wish to participate, we request that those who wish to participate in them submit an advanced registration request below so that we will have an idea of the number of people to expect and can plan accordingly.
Index of 2026 Workshops
- Basic Introduction to the Native American Style Flute (Indian River & Riverwind Flute Circles)
- What You Always Wanted to Ask a Native American (Lowery Begay)
- On the Florida Gopher Tortoise (Becky Bolt)
- Out of the Rut (Jamie Empert)
- Sound Setups Simplified (Joe Empert)
- How To Make Flutes (Ryan Harjo)
- Playing “Western Style” Music On Your NAF (Johnny Kee)
- Guided Nature Walk (Space Coast Regional Friends of the Florida Master Naturalist Program)
- Stars and Skylore of Native Americans (Mark Marquette)
- Using Vibrato (Mark McGourley)
- How to Make a Cord Basket (Joyce Neumann)
- Rhythmic Connection: Drumming and Fluting Together (Painted Raven)
- The Art of Storytelling (Dr. Frankie Rinaldi)
Descriptions of 2026 Workshops
Title: Basic Introduction to the Native American Style Flute
Leader: Indian River and Riverwind Flute Circles’ members
Fee: Free
Scheduled Date/Time: Anytime
Program Length: Variable
Location: Main festival grounds near the Workshop Tent
Class Size: No limit
A separate vendor-style booth will be set up near the main workshop tent for on-going instruction in the basics of playing the Native American Style Flute. Skilled players, including volunteers from the Indian River and Riverwind Flute Circles, will rotate in leading this workshop. Participants are encouraged to bring their own flutes. Instruction will include hand placement in properly holding the flute and covering the playing holes, mouth placement and basic breathing techniques, playing the basic scale, and other basic playing techniques. Instruction techniques will vary by instructor.
Title: What You Always Wanted to Ask a Native American
Leader: Lowery Begay
Fee: Free
Scheduled Date/Time: TBA
Program Length: 1 hour
Location: Workshop tent, main festival grounds
Class Size: Space available
Description coming.
Title: On the Florida Gopher Tortoise
Leader: Becky Bolt
Fee: Free
Scheduled Date/Time: TBA
Program Length: 1 hour
Location: Workshop tent, main festival grounds
Class Size: Space available
Description coming.
Description coming.
Title: Sound Setups Simplified
Leader: Joe Empert (Earthsong Voyage)
Fee: Free
Scheduled Date/Time: TBA
Program Length: 1.5 hours
Location: Workshop tent, main festival grounds
Class Size: Space available
Description coming.
Title: How to Play “Western Style” Music on Your NAF
Leader: Johnny Kee
Fee: Free
Scheduled Date/Time: TBA
Program Length: 1.5 hours
Location: Workshop tent, main festival grounds
Class Size: Space available
Deescription coming.
Johnny Kee (aka John Ellis) first picked up a guitar around 1958 when he was introduced to it by a friend who showed him how to play a few chords. His parents gave him his first guitar for Christmas that year and he hasn’t put it down for very long since. Then in 1962, he joined with a friend from the church youth group to form a folk group they called the Bayou Brothers. He has been an enthusiastic folk performer from then on.
Jump ahead to 2007 when he “discovered” the Native American Flute, and a few years later decided to add it into his folk performances. Johnny currently has released two CDs, with a third in the works, where every song on each includes at least one flute solo and/or duet. Thanks to modern electronics, he also is able to incorporate his flute playing into his live performances, where a recording continues the guitar background for a bit while he picks up a flute. This fusion of Native flute with songs from an Americana culture demonstrates the versatility of the instrument.
Website: JohnnyKee.com
Title: Guided Nature Walk
Leader: Space Coast Regional Friends Group of the Florida Master Naturalist Program
Fee: Free
Scheduled Date/Time: TBA
Program Length: 30-45 Minutes
Location: Meet outside workshop tent, main festival grounds
Class Size: 10 per walk
Florida Master Naturalist led nature walk through the natural habitats of Wickham Park. Learn about the unique plants and wildlife that make up natural Florida. Hike leaders are graduates of a Florida Master Naturalist Program class who want to share the knowledge they have gained about Florida’s enviornment with others. Participants must wear closed toed shoes.
Title: Stars and Skylore of Native Americans
Leader: Mark Marquette
Fee: Free
Scheduled Date/Time: Saturday, Nov 14; 5:45 PM (gather outside workshop tent at 5:30 to observe sunset)
Program Length: 1 hour
Location: Workshop tent, main festival grounds
Class Size: Space available
Learn the Night Sky as envisioned by Native American tribes, and customs that have evolved from the stories in the stars. Presentation will include a PowerPoint slideshow describing some of the mythology and skylore of Native American tribes, including how they developed their understanding of the celestial dome of stars and wandering planets, the importance of the Moon in their lives, and their worship of the Sun.
NOTE: Gather outside the workshop tent at 5:30 to observe sunset, and after the workshop, adjourn to the telescopes (around 7:00) to view the night sky.
Title: Using Vibrato
Leader: Mark McGourley
Fee: Free
Scheduled Date/Time: TBA
Program Length: 1.5 hours
Location: Workshop tent, main festival grounds
Class Size: Space available
Description coming.
Mark McGourley is a seasoned performer and multi-instrumentalist with 40 years of professional experience. He started his career performing bass guitar, keyboards and lead vocals in a variety of cover bands throughout the Tampa Bay area. For the past 25 years he has focused more on his acoustic guitar and vocal abilities and has become a solid solo act performing at the top venues along the Sun Coast beaches.
More than 30 years ago Mark’s mother gifted him his first Native American flute and he has been playing and composing on it ever since. He has written several hundred tunes largely inspired by nature and many of these peaceful songs are based on melodies created with the NA flute. His original performances feature selections which are sure to soothe the soul from his debut CD titled “Universe Dance” as well as tunes from his upcoming second album focusing on NA flute, guitar and percussion.
Title: How to Make a Cord Basket
Leader: Joyce Neumann
Fee: Free (but small donation to NRF would be appreciated)
Scheduled Date/Time: TBA
Program Length: 2.5 hours
Location: Workshop tent, main festival grounds
Class Size: 20
Description coming.
“I love sharing my art and mostly ‘self-taught’ skills with anyone who wishes to learn. I find great joy in seeing the excitement of someone who has just learned how to do something new that I have taught them. It fills my heart and spirit with great satisfaction of knowing traditional skills and crafting will continue on for generations.
In my adult life I have overcome many obstacles to reach my goals in learning and sharing.”
Joyce’s art has been published many times, including 6 editions of the Cherokee Heritage Calendar, and has illustrated 2 children’s books. She has also won over 100 awards for her art, including several at previous Native Rhythms Festival competitions. Joyce currently serves Native Rhythms as the competition coordinator and regularly leads workshops teaching crafts such as various styles of beading, dream catcher making, etc.
Title: Rhythmic Connections: Drumming & Fluting Together
Leader: Holly Red Feather of Painted Raven
Fee: Free
Scheduled Date/Time: TBA
Program Length: 1.5 hours
Location: Workshop tent, main festival grounds
Class Size: Space available
Enjoy connecting through rhythm with Holly Red Feather of Painted Raven (the Native American flute and world music trio of Annette Abbondanza, Holly Red Feather Harris, and Kimberly Kridler). We will connect through learning basic African Djembe drumming skills. This will be followed by each individual having an opportunity to play flute with the group providing supportive drumming. Participants are encouraged to bring their own flute and/or hand drums. A limited number of Djembes will be available.
Drawing inspiration from Mother Earth, Native culture, nature and wildlife, and combining the ancient Native American flute with today’s modern instruments and musical styles, is what creates the signature sound of award-winning Painted Raven, the Native American flute and World Music project of songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Annette Abbondanza, joined by flutist and percussionist, Holly Red Feather Harris and flutist Kimberly Kridler.
Title: The Art of Storytelling
Leader: Dr. Frankie Rinaldi
Fee: Free
Scheduled Date/Time: TBA
Program Length: 1.5 hours
Location: Workshop tent, main festival grounds
Class Size: Space available
What I will cover in this workshop…
- What is story telling?
- Why should one tell a story?
- How to choose a story and how stories will often pick you.
Then I will share two stories as examples.
I’ll go over the dos and don’ts of telling a story and cover ideas for where and when stories can be healing. Noting that humor always heals. If time permits, one-minute stories can be shared by the workshop participants.
Dr. Rinaldi has been a Storyteller with the Brevard Theatrical Society from 1984-2018. She is the author of six books and shares stories at organizations such as Zonta, Rotary, and church organizations.
She has conducted storytelling classes at the Sheppard Center and Senior centers.
Website: www.redfoxpublishing.webs.com
Personal Professional Instruction
Accelerate your flute playing by taking private lessons from one of our headlining recording artists. One-on-one or as a couple, take advantage of the opportunity to get personal guidance in a private lesson.
The following performers have agreed to offer private, personal instruction for a fee. Contact the individual artist to make arrangements for your personal lesson. These artists will be available throughout the weekend at the festival site, or contact them by e-mail to make arrangements prior to festival weekend.
Mark McGourley (Flute and/or Guitar)
727-463-3299 (text or leave voicemail)
2025 On-Line Workshop Registration
To complete your on-line workshop registration, complete and submit the following form. When your registration message is received, a confirmation message will be sent back to you. If you don’t receive a confirmation within 48 hours, your message was most likely lost and not received. If this happens, please resubmit.
If multiple people are registering for the same workshops, you may put more than one name on the name line. If multiple people are registering for different workshops, to avoid confusion, please submit a separate registration form for each person. Required fields are indicated by a red asterisk.
WORKSHOP REGISTRATION IS NOT YET OPEN. PLEASE STAND BY.