Standard or Octave Mandolin Building Workshop and

Blues Mandolin Workshop
April 1-4, 2007


Registration Deadline: March 16, 2007

 

Standard / Octave Mandolin Building

 

Click here for Registration form:

Build your own Mandolin with your own hands!
Master Craftsman, luthier, and teacher Don Kawalek will provide instruction, kits, and a special techniques workshop on inlaying, bending, and finishing. A seasoned instrument maker and master builder with over 28 years of experience, DonŐs mandolin building workshops provide a truly unique experience!

For more information about Don Kawalek and to view some of his instruments and kits, visit his web site at: http://www.donkawalek.com

To view comments from previous workshop participants, visit the "Mandolin Cafe" at: http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?s=221561291740a1473a0955f7494a5b26;act=ST;f=16;t=23751;hl=mandolin+workshops

Typical Schedule
While the schedules will vary by program, a typical day will consist of class instruction in the morning and just after lunch; free time in the afternoons so you may explore the local area, hike a trail, or simply relax; and a special topical evening program after dinner.

As an example, the Mandolin Workshop Schedule will be similar to the following:

Sunday:
4:00 P.M. Arrival
4:30 Introductions/Orientation
5:00 Workshop: Overview
6:00 Dinner
7:00 Workshop: Instruction
8:30 Evening Program/Social

Monday-Tuesday:
8:00 a.m. Breakfast
9:00 Workshop: Instruction
10:30 Break
10:45 Workshop: Instruction
12:00 p.m. Lunch
1:00 Workshop
4:00 Free Time to Explore the Area/Work on Your Own
6:00 Dinner
7:00 Workshop: Instruction
8:30 Evening Program/Social

Wednesday:
8:00 Breakfast
9:00 Workshop: Instruction
11:30 Wrap-up Discussion
12:00 p.m. Lunch
1:00 Have a Safe Trip Home

About this program:

  • The build and play your own mandolin!
  • Meals and lodging provided though out the workshop (Pleas bring your own bedding.)
  • Participation is limited to 10 participants for a better instructor participant ratio, so sign up early!
  • This Workshop is designed for all crafts persons beginner to advanced.

Cost:

     Only $575.00!! (Standard Mandolin)

              $625.00!! (Octave Mandolin)

Refund Policy:

                 Full: by March 16, 2007

                50% : after March 16, 2007 Nonrefundable after March 23, 2007

This covers all programming fees, instructor, mandolin kit, meals, and lodging.

WHAT A DEAL!!!


Blues Mandolin (& Mandola Too!)

 

Click here for Registration form:

 

How are your Blues skills on the Mandolin? Are deficiencies in this area hindering your progression?
Do you just want to learn to play a new style / genre of music?

Playing "convincing" blues mandolin is much more than just tossing in the occasional flat 7th and 3rd "blue notes" or using the blues scale to solo, just as learning a few old-time fiddle tunes doesn't turn a classical violinist into an old-time fiddler. This class will look at many of the components that will help to make your mandolin sound like it was born to play blues music.

The class will look at examples of traditional blues mandolin (Yank Rachell, Johnny Young, Ry Cooder) but will also expand the horizons to include Piedmont-style fingerpicking (Mississippi John Hurt) as well as vocabulary and approaches derived from Chicago blues (Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf), modern electric guitarists (BB King, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimi Hendrix) and even piano players (Fats Domino, Dr. John).

Niles Hokkanen has spent half of his 30+ years on mandolin exploring and refining techniques for playing mandolin in a variety of styles, incorporating the functional rhythmic vocabulary from the instruments which dominate those respective styles. In his workshops, he shares the information he has absorbed and walks you through the fundamentals.

For more information about Niles, his recordings and his many published instructional materials, visit these sites:

  1. http://www.shenandoahmusic.com/hokkanen.htm
  2. http://www.mandozine.com/resources/CGOW/niles.php
  3. http://www.btinternet.com/~john.baldry/mando/hokkanen.html

About this program:
Participation is limited to 14 participants for a better instructor participant ratio, so sign up early!

This program, designed for intermediate and advanced players, will occur over three and a half days with at least 18 solid hours of instruction and feature:

  • Playing up and down the neck, out of "position boxes", as well as open/1st position.
  • Using motivic development (being able to transpose and alter key phrases) so that solos have an internal logic to them rather than being a string of unrelated licks. Major and minor pentatonic scales, the blues scale, the dorian mode as well as rhythmic patterns will be examined.
  • Phrasing and embellishment for a more convincing blues sound:
  • Developing and using hammer-ons, pull-offs and slides (both upwards and downwards).
  • String choking (slight bending) and full-blown string bending (1/2 step or more)
  • Right hand techniques for a more convincing blues sound:
  • Alternate pick directions (eg. All downstrokes or all upstrokes), use of pick + fingers, and different types of pick "attack", "raking" and muting techniques, "squeal harmonics", percussive effects.
  • With good blues playing, the line between "backup" and "lead" becomes very blurred. We will look at various ways to backup a vocal (without requiring a guitar player) - bass lines, single-line and doublestop/chordal riffs, etc. derived not only from traditional blues mandolin style, but also from piano and guitar vocabulary.

Cost: Only $390.00!!

Refund Policy:

                       Full: by March 16, 2007

                50% : after March 16, 2007

Nonrefundable after March 23, 2007

This covers all programming fees, instructor, meals, and lodging.

WHAT A DEAL!!!

For more information contact Nate Mahanes at 434-248-5444 or nmahanes@vt.edu

Return to Virginia 4-H
or
Virginia Cooperative Extension