Johanna Shores Thanks

We received a thank you note for playing at Johanna Shores and I thought I'd share with the group.

MMO Friends -

Sorry for the late notice:

My dance group is hosting "Balkan Fest" at St. Paul's Landmark Center tomorrow (Sun. Feb. 17) from noon to 5:00. 

Although I will not be playing any instruments for this show, I'll be dancing in full, authentic costumes in several suites throughout the day.  There will also be food (Jack, we made homemade sarma!), activities, and audience participation - a great way to learn Eastern European dances!

Link to event: http://www.ethnicdancetheatre.com/event/2208/
Admission: $6

~ Tiffany

February 4 rehearsal recordings

I made mp3 files from my recording of our February 4 mandolin orchestra rehearsal.
You can find them at the following links:

http://www.minnesotamandolinorchestra.org/arirang-190204.mp3

http://www.minnesotamandolinorchestra.org/bright-size-life-190204.mp3

http://www.minnesotamandolinorchestra.org/clarks-point-190204.mp3

http://www.minnesotamandolinorchestra.org/concerto-rustica-190204.mp3

http://www.minnesotamandolinorchestra.org/eleanor-rigby-190204.mp3

http://www.minnesotamandolinorchestra.org/fat-boy-rag-190204.mp3

http://www.minnesotamandolinorchestra.org/halleys-comet-190204.mp3

http://www.minnesotamandolinorchestra.org/kalamazoo-swag-190204.mp3

http://www.minnesotamandolinorchestra.org/waitin-julia-belle-190204.mp3

http://www.minnesotamandolinorchestra.org/young-america-190204.mp3

Mandolin Orchestra photo January 28 maybe

Elizabeth Gieseke will be at our mandolin orchestra rehearsal on January 28, and she'll have a camera with her. If enough MMO members are present, we'll take a photo or two of the group . We don't need to dress alike--just wear something that you wouldn't mind being photographed in. If there aren't enough people, we'll take a photo on another day.

News from Sherry Ladig

Hi everyone,
Sherry Ladig and I are meeting for coffee soon to talk about Irish music and her suggestions for our BYNRIE tune list. She asked that I share the following information about her upcoming events. Be sure to save the date of February 1st when her band Dunquin will play their annual Scottish Island Concert!

January 19th  , 6-8 pm Dunquin plays a food shelf fundraiser at Tillie's Café, corner of Cleveland/Marshall Aves. in Saint Paul. All tips go to the local Keystone Community shelves. Eat well, hear great music, do good for your community! We'll play our favorite Irish and Scottish tunes. No cover charge.

January 25th 6-9 pm Burns Night Scotch Tasting at the Historic LeDuc House; 1629 Vermillion Street (Highway 61) in Hastings. Hear Scottish music, poems by Robert Burns, and taste excellent scotch and food pairings. Reservations required; call 651-438-8480.

January 26th Dalwhinnie (that's Dunquin with a Scottish accent) plays for dancing and listening at the evening Burns Night celebration at the Lost Spur Country Club (see details elsewhere in this bulletin for tickets and reservation information). Lots of Scottish entertainment, dinner and a celebration of all things Burns! Sponsored by the Minnesota Scottish Fair and Highland Games folks. This is a ticketed event; for full details see www.mnscottishfair.org and make your reservation there.
    SAVE THE DATE!  Less than a month away:
February 1st, 7:30 pm (doors open at 7 p.m.) The 18th Annual Scottish Island Concert. Dunquin band and guest musicians play an unforgettable evening of spirited and soulful Scottish tunes and songs, and Joy and Jim Gullikson offer their fabulous Scottish tea at the interval (tea included in the admission price). Best entertainment value in town for fifteen bucks! If you love great Scottish tunes, don't miss this! At Olivet Congregational Church, 1850 Iglehart Avenue in Saint Paul (near Marshall and Fairview). No advance sales; tickets at the door. More information at www.sherryladig.com
             Hope to see you at one or more of these!
                   Sherry, Don and Rosa

Hey, All,

Just a reminder that "first" Monday is coming up, so I'll be wrangling MMO members to have pizza at Jakeeno's after practice January 7th, so plan ahead if you'd like to join.

Allison has reserved a venue March 17th for a St. Patrick's Day performance of some type and we'll be discussing who would like to play what.  For context, some of the orchestra played an Irish trad and Ladig set at Can Can Wonderland last year and are looking to follow up at St. Anthony Lutheran.

Also, Nine Mile Creek has asked that a subset of us play for them.  They cannot accommodate the entire orchestra, so I'd love to hear ideas on who would like to play... at a time to be decided.

Happy New Year!
Jonathan

Landmark Center photos

Thanks to Ben and Elizabeth, we have some excellent photos of our Landmark Center December 5 concert. You can find them here:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1PSGIGoE_qmmYlLBVUdsMRMDrjcvvNPF8?usp=sharing

Mandolin Boot Camp

Every few years, I present a workshop at the CMSA Convention titled "Mandolin Boot Camp - What I Wish Someone Had Told Me When I Started Playing the Mandolin".

The workshop covers instruments, instrument set up, personal set up, practice skills, technique, drills, and tips for playing in an orchestra.

I have a number of extra copies of the presentation from the 2018 Convention which I will bring to rehearsal this evening.  If you would like a copy but can't make tonight's rehearsal, please let me know.

Lou

CMSA 2018 Program Links

A few people had asked me about the Classical Mandolin Society of America convention en-masse program, so I thought I'd post a few links here to other groups performing pieces from the program.

1. Tzingana 
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqWN_R9ExBM
2. Canestri di Fiori
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovKC8RkAaTc
3. Adagio Misterioso
• I cannot find a recording on youtube.
4. Tanz Suite Nr 2, Op 21 
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YOoPnlk5cU&fbcl=
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRGtoWkW--A
5. Cobalt Blue
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnK9AnuE-d4

I'd like to postscript the video links-- the sound from the CMSA orchestra was absolutely incredible.  Not to take anything away from the performers in the above links, but the CMSA orchestra was massive and the energy coming from the stage (at least sitting near the epicenter) was unbelievable; the recordings above do not well represent the quality of sound of the en-masse orchestra.  

Greetings, again!
I'd like to thank you all for working a Thursday concert into your schedules and playing at Eagle Crest Arbor. It meant a lot to me to be able to play for my mother and her neighbors, some of whom I've gotten to know. My mother really enjoyed it; I could see a faint smile on her face the entire time we were playing. Afterwards, in one of the first coherent things she has said in awhile, she held on to my arm and said "That was damned good!" Another resident said to me "Your group is really good" and my mother said "Yes, they are!"

This was a remarkably cogent utterance from my mother that warms my heart. Thanks to each of you for your part in making this a special evening for me, my mother, and the other residents at Eagle Crest. It's a privilege to make music with you all.

Steve