MIKE MARSHALL

MM08  THE ART OF THE MANDOCELLO - How to play these big “gators.” Chord voicings, bass lines, fingerings and some J.S. Bach — the Courante from the Cello Suite #1 in G major.

MM61  MUSIC FROM CHRIS & MIKE  - We will learn to play “Harvest Time” from the Into the Cauldron CD by Mike Marshall and Chris Thile.

SYMP1 JUMPING INTO THE JAM with Don Stiernberg - How to create your own solos in any style — the "meaning" or "feeling" of each interval. What group of notes to draw from for various chord types. Developing the chops to keep a melody line flowing, a process for building solos. Tunes: “Green Dolphin Street,” “Sweet Georgia Brown” and “Take the A Train

MM32 COMPOSITION (Advanced) - Bring in your tune and I will help you with it. Either help direct you to the next section, or give you arranging ideas.

MM62  CHORO 1: AN AMERICAN IN BRAZIL - Making the transition from Bluegrass and other American styles to Brazilian Choro. Focus on understanding the rhythms both on the written page and as it applies to chord accompaniment.

MM07  GATOR ON BLUEGRASS IMPROVISATION - Exploring some classic jam bluegrass tunes. My thought process and some simple ideas (licks & tricks) for surviving these tempos.  Tunes: “Salt Creek,” “Big Mon,” “Blackberry Blossom,” and “Ralph’s Banjo Special.”

MM99 Master Class Workshop — Mike will work with a handful of players in a detailed, one-on-one setting. He will see as many students as possible, while others observe the process. All levels welcome!

MM63  VÄSEN TUNES - We will learn three tunes from this amazing group’s repertoire: “The Building,” “Dragon Ship #13, Josefine’s Waltz.

MM64  CHORO 2: FOCUS ON RHYTHM - Understanding the percussion instruments in Brazilian choro and how the mandolin interacts with these.

DAVID GRISMAN

DG01 MANDOLIN MECHANIX (Beginner) - Basics of right & left hand, tone production. How to get the most out of your mandolin. What every beginner needs to know and what all players need to remember.

DG61 DAWG'S GROOVES & CHORDS - The mandolin as a rhythm instrument in bluegrass and other styles, focusing on some of the patterns utilized in Dawg tunes and a discussion of mandolin chords and chord progressions, in theory and practice.

DG08 TREMOLO TIME (Beginner) - The Grisman tremolo - How, when and why. How to put more expression into your tremolo.

DG12 DAWGOLOGY - THE GENTLE SIDE - Exploring some of Dawg's slower compositions in various styles. Playing with tonal variety and dynamics. Tunes: "Tracy's Tune," "Blues for Vassar" and "Shalom Aleichem".

DG31 COMPOSE YOURSELF I - Exploring various processes of composition with the mandolin. How to develop melodic themes and motifs, harmonic structures and rhythmic devices. Students will create an assigned composition to be demonstrated and critiqued in Compose Yourself II.

SYMP2 BILL MONROE SYMPOSIUM - with Mike Compton and Andy Statman - Celebrating Bill Monroe's 100th birthday this year, these three distinct mandolin stylists will discuss his mandolin playing and music and its' tremendous influence on them.

DG23 TONE POETRY - The Sound of the American Mandolin - How to get the best sound out of your mandolin and anyone else's, utilizing several mandolins of different vintages and designs. A discussion of the evolution of the instrument in the USA.

DG36 COMPOSE YOURSELF II - Understanding the composing process — an examination of material created from assignments in Compose Yourself I.

DG14 DAWGOLOGY - INTO THE HOT (Advanced) - Playing Dawg's faster compositions in various styles. Retaining rhythmic accuracy and tonal control at sprightly tempos. Tunes: "Fanny Hill," "EMD," "16/16" and "Katy Hill."

ERIC THOMPSON

ET01 LET'S WALTZ! - We'll glide into oldtime waltz style, learning some pretty ones, with an emphasis on double-stops and tremolo.

ET02 THE WILD GEORGIA SOUND OF TED HAWKINS - Ted was the mandolinist with Gid Tanner and the Skillet Lickers, one of the most popular stringbands of the 78 RPM era. His playing had a strong rhythmic drive and a quirky sense of harmony that is infectiously fun.

ET03 GET DOWN WITH THE BLUES - I'll show you the moves to get the grit, drawing on the sounds of players like Yank Rachell, Charlie Burse, Howard Armstrong and Charlie McCoy (Mississippi Sheiks.)

ET04 THE OTHER KENTUCKY MANDOLIN - We'll explore some delightful rags and songs from Roy Hobbs, Larry Taylor and Doc Roberts, all of whom hail from the blue grass state, and share a clean, engaging, incisive, bouncy style. Doc's main instrument was the fiddle and we'll look at his fiddle tunes as well.

ET05 THE ANCIENT TONES - Oldtime music can have a haunting quality that evokes another era. We'll examine the modes and chord choices that set that mood.

ET06 OLDTIME FIDDLE REPERTOIRE SESSION - "Contemporary oldtime" may seem oxymoronic, but in fact we are enjoying a renaissance of cool old fiddle tunes being picked on the mandolin. I'll share some of my favorites, from a wide array of fiddlers, including Ed Haley, Clark Kessinger, Benton Flippen, Marcus Martin and Eck Robertson — and maybe whet your appetite to seek out more.

ET07 BROTHER DUET STYLINGS - We'll work on characteristic mandolin settings for oldtime songs from the Blue Sky Boys, the Callahan Brothers, the Monroe Brothers, Karl and Harty, looking for tricks that will transfer to many songs.

ET08 TRANSFERING FIDDLE TUNES TO MANDOLIN - We'll learn tunes in a variety of keys, discussing the scale positions, fingering choices, and position shifts that best realize each tune. Technical tips and tools.

ET09 TEXAS MANDOLIN - has it's own swing. We'll check out the music of Coley Jones, mandolinist of the 1920's Dallas Stringband, Joe Shelton of the Shelton Brothers ("Deep Elem Blues.") and the East Texas Serenaders.

ANDY STATMAN

AS61 ANDY ON JESSE - Andy's treatise on Jesse McReynolds' cross-picking style was published by Oak Publications in 1979. This is a unique opportunity to get Andy's take on Jesse first hand — from the basics of the McReynolds approach to his classic solos on "Sweet Little Miss Blue Eyes", "I Wish You Knew" and "Stay a Little Longer."

AS62 RIGHT HAND MANDOLIN - Andy focuses on the importance of right hand technique and its' importance in acquiring speed, tone and accuracy. Including "one on one" time spent with students individually.

AS63 KLEZMER MANDOLIN - Understanding traditional modes, rhythms, melodies and phrasing. Using the proper ornamentation. An examination of Klezmer pieces and the stylistic devices utilized in this expressive style.

AS64 THE BLUES ROUTE TO IMPROVISING - Finding your own voice in the context of the blues. Telling a story in the blues language and using the blues as a cornerstone in jazz iimprovisation.

AS65 FIDDLE TUNES -AN IMPROVISATIONAL APPROACH - Learning how to construct variations on traditional fiddle tunes like "Turkey in the Straw" and "Arkansas Traveler" as a launching pad for improvising.

SYMP2 BILL MONROE SYMPOSIUM - with Mike Compton and David Grisman - Celebrating Bill Monroe's 100th birthday this year, these three distinct mandolin stylists will discuss his mandolin playing and music and its' tremendous influence on them.

DON STIERNBERG

DS61 BLUES: THE THREAD CONNECTING BLUEGRASS, SWING, JAZZ, (and maybe even choro..) - Finding the blue notes in the music and on the fretboard. Jazzifying blues progressions. Minor blues. Soloing shortcuts. When not to play blues. We'll examine tunes like "Hello City Limits", "Billie's Bounce", "The Thrill is Gone", or "I Ain't Got Nothin' But the Blues".

DS62 SWING AND JAZZ REPERTOIRE - Tunes drawn from the subgenres: Western Swing, Gypsy, Bebop, standards. We'll work up (at least) one from scratch, looking at possibilities for rhythm chord voicings and soloing strategies.

SYMP1 JUMPING INTO THE JAM with Mike Marshall - How to create your own solos in any style — the "meaning" or "feeling" of each interval. What group of notes to draw from for various chord types. Developing the chops to keep a melody line flowing, a process for building solos. "Green Dolphin Street," "Sweet Georgia Brown" and "Take the A Train."

DS11 THE ROADMAP CLASS - Review of the musical shorthand(symbols) found in fakebooks and sheet music, and what they imply. Reducing tunes with several chords to a few tonalities. Crafting a solo or rhythm part filled with good notes based on what you see in a chart.

DS63 HEARING AND SEEING THE CHANGES - explores six of the most commonly found progressions from the styles mandolinists love: bluegrass, fiddle tune,choro, and swing jazz. Emphasis on color tones, connecting chords, alterations, substitutions, and functional chord voicings.

DS64 CHORD MELODY - Arranging tunes for solo playing with melody and harmony happening simultaneously. We'll look at "Manoir des Rieves", "Love for Sale", and "Ook Pik Waltz".

DS65 CUT AND PASTE: MELODIC MATERIALS FOR IMPROVISATION - Patterns, phrases, and licks that co-ordinate with various harmonic situations with the goal of broadening your soloing vocabulary and adding a few more items to the trick bag. Sources will include fretboard patterns and melodic phrases "borrowed" from improvisational masters.

DS99 THE NEXT LEVEL - IMPROVISATION MASTER CLASS - Volunteers play a few choruses on a standard tune, and the process they use will open to discussion: "What were you thinking? Why did you play that? Did you think of trying this?" etc. Various approaches to improvising will be explored. Are chords, scales, and modes...ALL THE SAME THING??

DS66 ROOTS OF JAZZ MANDOLIN STYLE - 20th century masters who brought the language of jazz to the mandolin: Appolon, Burns, Gimble, Moore. What influenced them? Connections to latter day improvisers and mandolin playing in general.

MIKE COMPTON

MC61 OLD TIME RHYTHM/ELLA HALEY and THEN SOME - Rhythm without the bluegrass chop chord shapes which relies heavily on right hand melodic interpretations.

MC02 DOUBLE STOPS for BEGINNERS - Just what it says! Two notes at a time and its' important role in bluegrass music.

MC62 FIFTH FRET as HOME BASE - Leading with the index finger at the fifth fret as a point of reference for playing lead and backup.

MC01 FIDDLE TUNES MONROE STYLE - This class will take a look at Monroe's methods for playing classic fiddle tunes on the mandolin.

MC11 DOWNSTROKES! & THE BLUEGRASS RIGHT HAND - A look at the preferred right hand technique (in my opinion) for playing traditional bluegrass mandolin which will include grip, tremolo, bowing patterns. The secondary characteristic of Monroe style mandolin. Selected solos from the master.

SYMP2 BILL MONROE SYMPOSIUM - with David Grisman and Andy Statman - Celebrating Bill Monroe's 100th birthday this year, these three distinct mandolin stylists will discuss his mandolin playing and music and its' tremendous influence on them

MC14 BLUEGRASS BLUES - Selected tunes/solos which show Monroe's use of country blues elements.

MC15 ALTERNATE TUNINGS - Utilizing a few of the more common bluegrass mandolin tunings and a couple not-so-common ones.

MC63 THREE SONGS in C MAJOR - The point of this class is to examine the use of common elements to create different statements as evident in the solos on "Careless Love", "Journey's End" and "It Makes No Difference Now."

MARLA FIBISH

MF01 "NYAH" - THAT IRISH SOUND & HOW TO GET IT - The mysteries of playing Irish music on the mandolin. We'll talk about right and left hand technique, rhythm, getting tone production and sustain in your playing to match the feel of pipes, flutes and fiddles, while highlighting the unique things that that mandolin brings to the music.

MF02 IRISH REELS - Reels are the core of the Irish traditional music repertoire. This class will explore how to play an Irish reel in the style, not like an old time or bluegrass reel. It's mostly in the right hand, but we'll also discuss pulse, backbeat and everybody's favorite ornament - the triplet!

MF03 JIG PICKING - This technique class will demystify the mechanics of how to execute a jig with a plectrum on the mandolin, and set you up to add in ornamentation without losing the essential lope of the jig.

MF04 SLIP JIGS & HOP JIGS – These charming tunes in 9/8 time, are favorite traditional form in Irish music. Slip Jigs are lyrical, while hop jigs are snappier. We'll explore a few tunes of this type and learn how to give them their particular feel. Slip Jig: "The Swaggering Jig." Hop Jig: "The Rocky Road to Dublin."

MF05 TRIPLETS! - This technique class will focus on executing triplets in various types of Irish tunes. We'll cover basic triplet execution as well as ways that triplets are varied - moving triplets, muted triplets, etc.

MF06 THE IRISH MANDOLA - The mandola offers a wonderful sonorous register for song accompaniment, and can be used to great effect with a few simple chords and melodic runs. We'll explore using a few open tunings - DGDA & CGDG - that add openness and simplicity to the sound and the execution.

MF07 PHRASING, ORNAMENTATION AND VARIATION IN IRISH MUSIC - The transition from playing a succession of notes to playing music. How the notes are linked together into discreet phrases and how the phrases connect to make a tune. A look at the way variation is used in Irish music. We'll focus on musicality - the subtle changes to the basic tune that give it life. "The Mother and Child Reel" and "The Drake's Neck Reel."

MF08 IRISH POLKAS - Most mandolin players dread playing polkas to tempo. A simple, but fundamental change in the right hand approach can liberate you to let them fly as they should, and love every minute of playing them!

MF09 IRISH TUNES MASTER CLASS - Play me a tune that you know well, but would like to explore more fully. I'll provide coaching on any trouble spots, phrasing, ornamentation and possible variations. Don't be shy!

CHRIS ACQUAVELLA

CA01 CLASSICAL RIGHT HAND TECHNIQUE: Part I - Learn the right hand technique that makes a classical mandolinist unique — French baroque, triple stroke, glide stroke, arpeggio technique. We'll work on various open-string exercises that will help the student learn the physical nature of the technique.

CA02 CLASSICAL RIGHT HAND TECHNIQUE: Part II - Work on three pieces of solo repertoire from 1700 - 1880. Discuss technique, interpretation & ornamentation. Denis, Sauli, Bach, Lecce.

CA04 SOLO: ROMANTIC & CONTEMPORARY REPERTOIRE – We'll work on unique pieces of solo mandolin repertoire dating from 1880 - 2011. Introduces classical right hand technique, creating a fuller soundscape. Calace, Stephens, Strauss, Pakenham.

CA05 DUETS: BAROQUE & CLASSICAL REPERTOIRE – We'll pair up & work on duets dating from 1700 - 1880. Discuss technique & ornamentation from that period. Leoni, Denis, Fouchetti.

CA06 DUETS: ROMANTIC & CONTEMPORARY REPERTOIRE - Work on three pieces of mandolin duo rep by mandolin composers dating 1880 - 2011. Calace, Strauss, Wolki.

CA07 TRIOS: BAROQUE & CLASSICAL REPERTOIRE – We'll play music for 2 mandolins & mandocello (mandola) from 1700 - 1880. Discuss ensemble playing, interpretation & ornamentation. Barbella, Bach,

CA08 TRIOS: ROMANTIC & CONTEMPORARY REPERTOIRE - Work on Trio repertoire from 1880 - 2011. Gal, Gatherer, Ambrosius, Strauss

CA09 QUARTETS: BAROQUE & CLASSICAL REPERTOIRE - Work on quartet rep from 1700 - 1880. Handel, Beethoven

CHORO FAMOSO (Andy Connell, Brian Rice, Colin Walker)

CF01 BRAZILIAN RHYTHM – Percussionist Brian Rice will explore the variations on and the use of rhythm in Choro and other forms of Brazilian music.

CF02 SIT IN FOR MIKE – Play choro tunes with the members of Choro Famoso, minus Mike Marshall. You be the mandolin player and experience playing the tunes in the context of a band.

TIM CONNELL

TC01 Choro Accompaniment - Learn to accompany a choro melody player on your mandolin. Chord fingerings, right hand strumming patterns, practice with Brazilian rhythm and group performance of several choro tunes. Ear training work to help simplify and hear the often dense chord progressions in choro. Take-home lead sheets with suggested fingerings provided. Intermediate to Advanced

TC02 Choro Repertoire - Learn to play a few classics of the choro repertoire: Vibracoes, Carinhoso, Receita de Samba and more. Take-home sheet music and mandolin tablature provided

ALMIR CÔRTEZ

AC01 Improvising in Brazilian Choro - A hands on workshop that shows the main characteristic elements of choro and its application in the practice of improvisation. We'll explore f how to construct idiomatic solos over chord progressions found in choro.