TEACHING

For booking, info, lessons, or anything else at all, please feel free to shoot me an email at mfibish@gmail.com .

TEACHING

I teach private lessons on mandolin and mandola, in person (in Marin County, CA) and over Skype, a well as group classes and workshops, online at Peghead Nation, and at many music camps.  Details on upcoming workshops, camps and class offerings are below, or drop me a line for more info at mfibish@gmail.com. 

Classes:

Group classes are a fantastic way to learn more tunes and grow confidence, while developing a group of compatriots who know the same tunes you do! We cluster tunes into sets so that you'll have some ready to go when someone invites you to start a tune at a session. We work on developing skills as well as learning tunes - we do exercises together to develop a strong rhythmic right hand, as well as to develop left hand patternings and fretboard knowledge.

New Classes Starting in January 2020

I will be starting classes at three levels, described below. If you are interested in joining a class, shoot me an email at mfibish @ gmail dot com.  If you don't see a class below that addresses your skill level or interests, or want to talk about which environment might be best for you, let me know, and we'll figure out a path for you.

Beginner
This class focuses on the basics of getting started on the mandolin, laying the foundation for learning to play Irish music on the instrument (techniques learned would also apply to interest in other trad forms -- Old Time, European, etc., but not bluegrass or classical music). Emphasis is placed on exercises that develop left hand placement and dexterity, while building on a solid rhythmic right hand technique, and (of course!) learning a few tunes.  Class will meet in Larkspur, CA for six 90-minute sessions on alternate Thursday evenings, 7:00 - 8:30, starting January 16, 2020. 

Class dates:  January 16, 30, February 13, 27, March 12 & 26. Price for the series: $180.

This class focuses on basic technique for playing Irish music on the mandolin. In the class we work with exercises to get both right and left hand working for playing tunes. Participants will learn 8-12 tunes in the course of the series. Recordings of the tunes are made available ahead of the class meetings. Class will meet in Larkspur, CA for six 90-minute sessions on alternate Monday evenings, 7:15 - 8:45, starting January 6, 2020. 

Class dates:  January 6, 20, February 3, 17, March 2 & 16. Price for the series: $180.

Advanced Intermediate / Advanced

This class focuses on Irish tune acquisition and mandolin technique and ornamentation - both general and tune-specific. The group learns two, often three, tunes per class session. Tunes are learned in sets, to facilitate session playing. Recordings of the tunes are made available ahead of the class meetings.  Class will meet in Albany, CA for six 90-minute sessions on alternate Thursday evenings, 7:30 - 9:00, starting January 9, 2020. 

Class dates:  January 9, 23, February 6, 20, March 5 & 19. Price for the series: $180.

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Weekend Intensive Workshops

Periodically I host intensive weekend workshops. These are a great opportunity for remote students to get in-person attention in the company of a small group of players looking to take their playing to the next level, and have some fun in the process!  I have two scheduled so far for 2020, both out of my home in California -- February 7-9 and April 3-5.  Please contact me with interest or any questions - mfibish@gmail.com 

The price for the workshop is $225. Here's what's included:

  * 7 group classes (75 minutes each) over two days

  * A 30-minute private lesson for each participant

  * Lunch, coffee, tea, and snacks on both days

  * Friday and Saturday night sessions

We'll gather on Friday evening for a session, followed by two full days of instruction on Saturday and Sunday.

Classes will focus on understanding and developing techniques for playing the many forms of Irish dance music on the mandolin - jigs, reels, slip jigs, hop jigs, polkas, slides, hornpipes, waltzes and barndances. Recordings of tunes will be provided in advance so that we can focus on technique rather than on tune-learning.

Develop the necessary skills for playing Irish music on the mandolin...
We'll work on both right and left hand techniques to express the distinctive rhythmic forms, deliver the pulse of the music, and improve tone production and sustain. We'll highlight the unique things that the mandolin brings to the music.

Explore phrasing, ornamentation and variation...
We'll focus on musicality, how to give life and lift to the tunes you learn, how to take them from a series of notes into joyful, gratifying expression in Irish music!

Enrollment will be limited to 9 participants - intermediate level and above.

2020 Music Camps!

Each camp is always a completely different musical experience - each wonderful in a different way. There is nothing like immersion in a music camp environment to really get you fired up about your music!  Please check out my events page for more info about each camp and workshop...and sign up early!

Here is what is confirmed so far for 2020:

Gulf Coast Cruinniú                               June 12-14, 2020                            Houston, Texas

Lark Camp                                             July 31- August 8, 2020                  Mendocino Woodlands, California

Puget Sound Guitar Workshop               Week 3 - August 15-21, 2020          Port Orchard, Washington

Southwest Mandolin Camp                     October 29 - November 1, 2020     Kingston, New Mexico

Walker Creek Music Camp                    November 5-8, 2020                       West Marin County, California

Fiddle & Pick Irish Music Weekend         November 12-14, 2020                    Pegram, Tennessee

Image Credits

Many Thanks