February reflections:
The MEGA workshop with Matt Flinner (mando), Tim May (guitar), Todd Phillips (bass) was a great day of intensive study and a wonderful evening concert. Fred Carpenter joined in for part of the show. What a powerful and talented bunch. The group workshop on ensemble interaction was very informative. Q& A on ensemble playing was a truly helpful learning forum. This was a new part of our annual MEGA ws and we will be
expanding on this idea to make this annual ws fresh each year.
Kelsey Wells started her new ws series on TN fiddle tunes. See flyer ad to make note of the dates of the rest of the series. You can attend one or all of the series. Kelsey teaches a tune and is able to break down the bowing and explain how she gets that driving rhythm. We learned 3 tunes on the first session. If you are interested in Old Time fiddle, you really should check out this series.
On a serious note: Cold temperatures and highest electric bills of all time make it difficult to for the Center to survive. Just when I thought $839 was the highest it could ever go, my heart sank opening up the new bill that is $1,099. This is hard to believe as we conserving as much as we can. The electric company is overcharging and it is outrageous. The top executives at the electric companies continue to get outrageous raises while everyone else is paying out the … We will continue to offer our free programs, jams and affordable classes. Folks sometimes ask us how they could help the MHC. well this is always an area of concern. Perhaps if you attend jam session you might give a
little to help with this outrageous bill. Every little bit helps.
The Fiddle & Pick Bluegrass Band performed at the First Pegram Baptist Church for the Youth ministry fund raiser. Wood Newton chimed in on his special songs; we were able to surprise Billy & Mary Ella Stevens with a photo montage & music honoring them for their life long service to their community. It was a very fun and heartfelt night !
So What's Next? Announcements & Upcoming Events:
March 2 (Sunday) is our annual Irish Celebration, starting with Fiddle students 3:00 performance and then 4:00 games & prizes, then 5:30 potluck and ending with the Ceili dance party 6:30-8:30 (If you can hold hands and walk, then you can do this Ceili dancing. Also there will be some step dance demonstrations .
B.U.W. Old Time Music festival Mar 6-9 Cedars of Lebanon State Park.
March has many Irish events including the “Shamrock Castle” dinner and Ceili on Mar 14 and also the Nashville Contra dance is the same night. March 16 some of the MHC Irish musicians play a show with Richard Morton at the Bluebird. March 17 Crockett Farm ws & jam . Oh how we love St Patrick's month!
We are all gearing up for the 6th annual Irish workshop weekend event. Please browse through the website to see all the great classes and top instructors and save April 11 & 12 on your calendar. Mark your calendar.
Be sure to register early for the “Early Bird Prices” and you will be entered into the “Early Bird drawing to win a musical merchandise “happy pack” including a Liz Carroll book!
*Mark your calendar: Brian Conway concert at the Violin Shop on Thurs April 10.
Be sure to see the Sneak Peaks and other items of interest at the end of the calendar!
***Kelsey Wells Old Time “Tenn Tunes”series March 20
March 2014 Day by Day & Special Events Calendar
Mar 1 Sat “Cubs” Adult fiddle class (near beginner rising to intermediate level )
Mar 1 Sat Irish session (hosted-meets the 1st & 3rd Sat each month) 4:00-6:30 pm
Mar 2 Sun IRISH CELEBRATION 3:00-8:30 All ages Student fiddle concert 3:00 sharp
Mar 3 Mon Adult “U” Fiddle class (Irish tunes series w/Gretchen) 7:30-9:30 pm
Mar 4 Tues Old Time Jam night (self hosted) 7:00-9:30 pm
(OT meets on 1st & 3rd Tues of the month...open and spectators welcome!)
Mar 4 Tues Jazz Class with Paul Abrams (contact Paul at 952-4641) 7:00-8:30 pm
(Jazz class meets weekly)
Mar 6 Thurs Gypsy Jazz and Django night (open) 7:00-10:00pm
Hosted by Tim May and Stan Lawrence (usually meets on 1st & 3rd Thurs each month)
call Stan 615-668-2426 (text Gretchen 812-2192 if you want to be on Jazz group e mail)
Mar 7 NO First Friday Pickin' Party . Come to “Breakin' Up Winter”
NOTSBA Old Time weekend (The last one.... “they say”)
Mar 10 Mon “Wacky Toons” open music readers jam (chords for rhythm players)
TRAD music and beyond. Some Irish, some Old Time and some wacky
Neo Trad toons that will inspire you !
Mar 11 Tues “Singing on Tues Nights” hosted by Tom “Tree” Reynolds 6:30-8:00pm
(meets on the 2nd & 4th Tues of the month) Suggested donation $5
This “singing gathering” is for anyone that would like to sing or always wanted to try .
Learn harmony and history and have a lot of fun learning many musical styles. Tree will
accompany on Guitar but others can bring their instrument and bring songs in too.
Mar 11 Tues Jazz Class with Paul Abrams (contact Paul at 952-4641) 7:00-8:30 pm
(Jazz class meets weekly)
Mar 13 Thurs Slow jammers night (Not always slow) hosted 6:00-8:30pm
(meets on the 2nd & 4th Thurs of each month)
Bluegrass Rookies class starts around 7:30 (come warm up at slow jam!)
Mar 14 Fri MHC on location at Rock Castle “Shamrock Castle event”
Mar 14 Fri Gretchen , Tony Novak and Jeff Rohrbough play Nashville Contradance
Mar 15 Sat “Cubs” fiddle (near beginner rising to intermediate level ) Adult Class
call Gretchen 615-812-2192 10:30 am -12:30 pm
Mar 15 Sat Irish session (hosted-meets the 1st & 3rd Sat each month) 4:00-6:30 pm
(open and spectator friendly)
Mar 16 Sun Gretchen, Julie, Eddy & Franko play Bluebird w Richard Morton
Mar 17 Mon Happy St Patrick's Day
Gretchen & Tim host Irish session & ws /Crocker Farm in Kentucky
Mar 18 Tues Old Time Jam night (self hosted) 7:00-9:30 pm
(OT meets on 1st & 3rd Tues of the month...open and spectators welcome!)
Mar 18 Tues Jazz Class with Paul Abrams (contact Paul at 952-4641) 7:00-8:30 pm
(Jazz class meets weekly)
Mar 20 Thurs Spring Begins...
Kelsey Wells Old Time Tenn tunes series 6:30-8:00 pm (see flyer ad for dates )
Mar 20 Thurs Gypsy Jazz and Django night (open) 7:00-10:00pm
Hosted by Tim May and Stan Lawrence (usually meets on 1st & 3rd Thurs each month)
call Tim 615-812-2193 call Stan 615-668-242 (spectators are welcome!)
FYI: Text Gret 615-812-2192 if you want to be added to the Jazz night e mail reminder list put “jazz “ on the text so I know why you are texting.
Mar 23 Sun MHC Hosts NOTSBA (Nash Old Time String Band Ass.) 4th Sunday Jam
Open and spectators are very welcome. 2:00-6:00 Bring a food item to share on the break if you like.
Mar 24 Mon “Wacky Toons” open music readers jam (chord for rhythm players)
TRAD music and beyond. Some Irish, some Old Time and some wacky Neo Trad toons that will inspire!
Mar 25 Tues “Singing on Tues Nights” hosted by Tom “Tree” Reynolds 6:30-8:00pm
(meets on the 2nd & 4th Tues of the month) Suggested donation $5
This “singing gathering” is for anyone that likes to sing or always wanted to try.
Learn harmony and history and have a lot of fun learning many musical styles. Tree will accompany on Guitar but others can bring their instrument and bring songs in too.
Mar 27 Thurs Slow jammers night (Not always slow) hosted 6:00-8:30 pm
(meets on the 2nd & 4th Thurs of each month)
Bluegrass Rookies class starts around 7:30 (come warm up at slow jam!)
Mar 29 Sat “Cubs” near beginner to rising intermediate w/Gretchen 10:30am-12:30pm
Mar 31 Mon “u” team adult advanced fiddle class w Gretchen 7:30-9:30pm
(continuing Irish Fiddle series)
April 2014 Sneak Peeks and beyond....
April 10 BRIAN CONWAY IN CONCERT at the VIOLIN SHOP Thursday Night
April 11 & 12 SAVE The 2nd WEEKEND IN APRIL for:
The 6th annual Irish workshop weekend! One of the greatest Irish Fiddlers in our
time, Brian Conway will be in Concert at the new location of the Violin Shop on Thurs
April 10 to kick off this magical Irish weekend.
Mark your calendar. Register early to get the early bird price and also be entered into the
drawing for a musical merchandise “Happy Pack” including a Liz Carroll Book!
Friday night is the Ceili party at the Fiddle & Pick
Sat is an all day workshop with all the Irish instruments, dance & song.
Julee Glaub, Brian Conway, Rose Flanagan, Pauline Conneely, John Walsh, John Mock,
Wendy Windsor and more...
New Writers Night Series...
You will love who is coming!
Performance Writers Series was publicly announced for the first time at Verlon Thompson's concert. This series is sponsored by Red Rover Pet Services.
SAVE these dates on your calendar; You'll be glad you did! Saturday Evenings:
May 10 Irene Kelly
Aug 2 David Olney
Nov 9 TBA (Carl Jackson)
First Friday Pickin' Parties: Come pick with us On April 4th 7:00-11:00 pm (or later) marking the 7 year anniversary of the Grand Ole Opening of the MHC at the Fiddle & Pick! The Pickin' Party is open to the public and is only $5
proceeds go to the outreach fund that pays for kids lessons that need our help. (Charles E Stuart Memorial Fund at the Community Bank in Pegram)
June 7 Clark Bueling Vintage Classic Banjo.
June 14 Buddy Greene Harmonica ws & concert TBA (not confirmed just yet)
July TBA (Spontaneous Mountain Boyz)
----------------------------------------------
Our mailing address is:
Fiddle & Pick, home of the Musical Heritage Center of Middle Tennessee
456 Highway 70
Pegram, TN 37143
www.fiddleandpick.com