Wooten with the metronome

Victor Wooten has some not-so-obvious ways of practicing with a metronome here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9X1fhVLVF_4

Flight of the Bumblebee

Not bad

http://youtu.be/Q60iaXXFXsk

Playing tomorrow at Calhoun Square

Anybody wanna see me play electric guitar, I'm subbing tomorrow night (12-2-11) with The Good, The Bad and The Funky at Famous Dave's Calhoun Square, 9 to 1. 10-piece R&B horn band - loud and fun. Five buck cover. - Tate

CMSA 2012 Performers/Workshop Leads

Thanks to everyone who's suggested a performer or workshop lead.

This is the list (and a great one it is!!!) as I've received to date:

Phil Rukavina (workshop)
Doug and Emily Wright (performer/workshop) ukelele
Simon Mayer (performer)
Chris Thile (performer)
Mark Kreitzer/Harmonious Wall (performer/workshop)
Rich DelGrosso (performer/workshop)
Radim Zenkel (performer)
Peter Ostroushko (performer/workshop)
Marilin Mair (performer/workshop)
Carlo Aonzo (performer/workshop)
Seasons Quartet (performer)
Janet Hovarth (cellist, author of "Playing Less Hurt" (workshop)

Now to figure out how to do a Survey Monkey ratings survey so we can rank these in order of preference!

CMSA 2012 Convention - Performers/Workshop Presenters

Hi MMO Folk! As mentioned in my email, here is the place to post your thoughts on potential performers or workshop presenters you think would be great attractions for our upcoming convention in Minneapolis.

I don't want to offer any specific guidelines. Yes, the CMSA is classically focused, yet workshops and performances have included jazz and choro in the past. Also, don't forget guitarists in your considerations.

A few candidates have presented themselves already - please add to this list by replying to this post.

On December 1st, I'll gather all your replies and we'll do a survey of the MMO to see which performers get the most "votes" to permit us to provide Lou with a prioritized list.

Current list:

Peter Ostroushko
Marilyn Mair
Carlo Aonzo & Rene Izquierdo
Seasons Quartet (from Bulgaria)

Little Rock Getaway

Parts are here:
http:www.minnesotamandolinorchestra.org/lrgparts.pdf

Practice file is here:
http:www.minnesotamandolinorchestra.org/lrg.mp3

Benefit cancelled, and for a happy reason!

The benefit for Sherry Ladig's husband Don has been cancelled because their insurance company reversed earlier decisions and have paid Don's hospital bills in full. This was very unexpected but welcome news. Sherry thanks everyone for their interest and concern.

Mark Hanson Performances and Workshops

Mark Hanson, Grammy-award winning fingerstyle guitarist and author will be in the twin cities Oct. 12-16 giving concerts and workshops.

Friday, October 14, 8:00 PM
Concert in St. Paul, Minnesota
Mark performs in beautiful Sundin Concert Hall on the campus of Hamline University for the Minnesota Guitar Society. Hamline is located in St. Paul at 1536 Hewitt Avenue, just off Snelling Avenue North. Tix/info: MGS at (612) 677-1151.

Saturday, October 15, 10:30AM-12:30PM & 1:30-3:30 PM
Guitar Workshops in St. Paul, Minnesota
Mark teaches two guitar workshops at the Established Heart Community Church fellowship hall, 562 Snelling Ave. South, in St. Paul. Mark’s workshops are "hands-on", so bring your guitars and questions! To register, visit our online registration page. Walk-ins also welcome.

#1 "Succeed at Finterstyle Guitar (10:30) Mark teaches the techniques necessary for successful fingerstyle playing, including his solo arrangements of "Wonderful Tonight" and "Mercy Mercy".

#2 Arranging fingerstyle solos & building repertoire (1:30) Mark has won a Grammy for his Pink Mancini album which featured his arrangements and playing.

These workshops are "hands-on" -- bring your guitar.

Sunday, October 16, 4:00 PM
Concert in Fergus Falls, Minnesota
Mark performs in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, 90 minutes northwest of the Twin Cities for the Minnesota Guitar Society. Location: A Center for the Arts, 124 W. Lincoln Ave., Fergus Falls, Minn. Tickets: (218) 736-5453, or online.

See Mark's website www.accentonmusic.com for more background and lots of free compositions and arrangements with standard notation and TAB.

Beatles night in Montevideo, MN Oct 8

Linda and I will be going to Montevideo for this event. Doug (formerly in MMO) and Emily Wright host it at a local venue.

People & groups play a couple of Beatles songs each. There will be a ukelele group.

We have been working on Please please me, Michelle, I will and And I love her.

We'd love to have any of you join us, with or without practice. Even (esp.) the big old bass.

Animated sheet music "So what"

Terrific! You really get a feeling for what the soloists and composer were doing.

Found on an animation blog, Cartoon Brew.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPv9WITrM

MMO End of Summer Tour Party

Party Details:

- Monday August 29th - 6:00 PM until I kick everyone out
- 6466 Stillwater Blvd, Historic Oakdale,MN - Directions below
- Pot Luck - Sign up on the Blog, or if you aren't a blogger, send me what you plan to bring
- Bring a guest
- Bring your ax in case a jam breaks out
- RSVP by August 26th

Directions:
- I-94 to Century Ave/Hwy 120 North exit.
- North on Hwy 120 a little over 2 miles to Stillwater Blvd. (Sarpinos pizza on the right at the
intersection)
- Right on Stillwater, heading east 0.7 mile to 6466 Stillwater Blvd
- We are on the north side of the road. Tomato garden and big white pine in front.
Green house set back.
or
- Hwy 36 to Century Ave/Hwy 120
- South on Hwy 120 for about 3+ miles to Stillwater Blvd (Holiday gas station on the right)
- Left on Stillwater, heading east 0.7 mile to 6466 Stillwater Blvd
- We are on the north side of the road. Tomato garden and big white pine in front.
Green house set back.

Pot Luck Sign up:
Tedd - Pizza appetzers. Root beer if someone brings ice cream for floats. Beer & Wine.

Summer 2011 set lists

Here's the order for the summer 2011 park concerts. The Edina concert is shorter, so we'll skip a few. I'll make an official list and post it on the MMO web site when I get back to my regular computer.

Benvenuto
Ashokan
Seven
Off to MN
My Desire
Please Please
Earth Song
Preludio e fuga
Gallantry
Mill Dam
Corale
Ball Game
Blues of a Summer Night
Catfish
Romanian
Drigo Serenade
Palladio

Davina at Famous Dave's

I announced at the last rehearsal that my son Andy would be playing with Davina and the Vagabonds Saturday night (July 30). I failed to specify that the location is the Famous Dave's in Uptown (Calhoun Square). The show starts at 9 PM (I think I said 10 PM in error). There is a $5 cover, but I'll be glad to buy a drink for anyone from MMO who shows up. (I may be a bit late, but I'll be there!) --Ray Artz

Picnic July 30 at Baha'i Center

Random Mandolins and friends will be playing at a picnic at the Baha'i Center on Saturday, July 30, from 3-4 pm. If you'd like to play with us, a list of possible tunes is below. It's a selection from some of our favorite local composers. If you don't care to play, you can still come to the picnic, which starts at 1 pm. Bring something to grill, if you'd like.

We'll practice on Friday, July 29 7 pm at Inghams'.

All the Rage

Blues of a summer night

Easter Waltz

1st Minnesota Regiment Suite

The Como Park suite

Highlandville

Last Call at Hawley Cooke

Love Notes

Romanian lullabye

Simple gifts

Barcarolle and Under the Tuscan sun from The Italian suite

X-town interchange rag

Dave

Notes from Northfield

We played a good program in Northfield Wednesday. The audience really enjoyed the music. I enjoyed it, too. Of course, things are never perfect. I made some notes about things we could improve.

Off to Minnesota: Needs more plectrum precision. It sounded like the different parts were striking the notes at slightly different times.

Romanian: We're still having a rhythm problem with the dotted quarter G tied to a sixteenth note, found in measures 29, 61, 93, 97, and 101. The rhythm improved as the tune progressed.

Nail that Catfish: Same issue as Off to Minnesota.

Earth Song: Mandola rhythm is not quite right in measures 46-49.

Ashokan Farewell: I heard a few rhythmic errors between F and H.

Fuga: Remarkably good, considering the poor conducting. The problems were my fault, because I lost my place. That won't happen next time.

Northfield set list

Here's the set list for the July 20 Northfield gig:

On the Mill Dam
Blues of a Summer Night
Off to Minnesota
Romanian Lullaby
Nail that Catfish
Earth Song
Please Please Me
Benvenuto
Ashokan Farewell
Preludio e Fuga
Take Me Out to the Ball Game
Corale
Palladio

"Seven" mp3 file

I made a synthesized mp3 practice file for "Seven." You can get it here:

http://www.minnesotamandolinorchestra.org/seven.mp3

Parts for new music

Parts for Seven, Please Please Me, and Benvenuto are available here:

http://www.minnesotamandolinorchestra.org/sevenparts.pdf

http://www.minnesotamandolinorchestra.org/pleaseparts.pdf

http://www.minnesotamandolinorchestra.org/benparts2.pdf

100 fiddle tunes

Tate gave me a pdf of a collection of 100 fiddle tunes. They're fun to play, and great for sight-reading practice. The link is shown below. Thanks, Tate!

http://www.minnesotamandolinorchestra.org/100_Popular_Hornpipes.pdf

Seeking Emails for Inactive MMO members

I'm about to send an update on hotel selection and activities for the 2012 CMSA Convention and wish to include inactive members or any other friends of the orchestra.

I have the following list of inactive MMO members assembled from past rosters. Are there others I'm missing? Do you have their email address? Please let me know and I'll include them in the initial distributions.

Also, if you have taken lessons from a mandolin teacher in town, we're also putting together a list of those folks as they may, through their current students, help us build our numbers in the orchestra as we lead into the 2012 season.

There has never been a better time to join (or rejoin) the MMO!

Thanks!

Jay Birulkin
Bill David
Bob Martin
Charlie Maternus
Gary Johnson
Gayle Gilman
Geoff Williams
Jill Veness
John Ellsworth
Ken Kuby
Kevin Le Voir
Leon Erstad
Lisa Abbatomarco
Peter Jackson
Ray Neuman
Ronda Zimmerschied
Ryan Hanley
Tom Pietrs

"My Desire" mp3 files

I uploaded an mp3 practice file for Gordy's "My Desire" tango.

Here's the link:
http://www.minnesotamandolinorchestra.org/mydesire.mp3

There's also a link on our "current tunes" page.

Ave Maria

Here is the link to the YouTube audio of Chanticleer singing the Franz Biebl version of Ave Maria.

If we can get anywhere close to this level of layering of sound, it will be a very moving experience for us and the audience.

I know it changes my attitude every time I listen to it.

Lou

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WSbq3TCcd0

New "Off to Minnesota" parts

John Goodin sent me new parts for "Off to Minnesota." You can get them here:

http://www.minnesotamandolinorchestra.org/off2parts.pdf

Tunes for spring tour

Here's a preliminary set list for our spring 2011 tour. It's an hour long. We won't play all of them at all the gigs, because some places want a shorter set.

On the Mill Dam
Blues of a Summer Night
Off to Minnesota
Romanian Lullaby
Nail that Catfish
Earth Song
Gallantry
Ashokan Farewell
Preludio
Serenade (Drigo)
Take Me Out to the Ball Game
Corale
Palladio

mp3 files from March 6

I uploaded mp3 files from our March 6 MBOTMA performance:

http://minnesotamandolinorchestra.org/palladio110306.mp3
http://minnesotamandolinorchestra.org/offtomn110306.mp3
http://minnesotamandolinorchestra.org/milldam110306.mp3
http://minnesotamandolinorchestra.org/earth110306.mp3
http://minnesotamandolinorchestra.org/catfish110306.mp3
http://minnesotamandolinorchestra.org/boasn110306.mp3
http://minnesotamandolinorchestra.org/ballgame110306.mp3
http://minnesotamandolinorchestra.org/ashokan110306.mp3

Comments, anyone?

next rehearsal, dress code

Are we having rehearsal on March 7th, following our performance on the 6th? I just checked the website and this blog.
Dress code for performances is always MMO or another white shirt (button-down or polo). For pants, "casual" was announced, which means "jeans or casual." Some don't own jeans, but "casual" usually excludes jeans, at least at my past places of employment.
I like the new font on the website, Comic Sans.

Possible web site outages

The Minnesota Mandolin Orchestra web site may be unavilable for a while during the next day or two, because our host is moving us to a different server.

Preliminary MBOTMA set list

Here's my preliminary set list for this year's MBOTMA winter weekend program:

On the Mill Dam
Blues of a Summer Night
Off to Minnesota
Earth Song
Nail that Catfish
Ashokan Farewell
Preludio (probably not Fuga)
Take Me Out to the Ball Game
Palladio

Ashokan Farewell parts

Parts for Ashokan Farewell, MMO 2011 edition, are available here:

http://www.minnesotamandolinorchestra.org/ashokanparts.pdf

MBOTMA appearance

I am happy to report that we are scheduled to play at the MBOTMA Winter Weekend on Sunday, March 6, at 4:15 p.m. in the main auditorium.