A neurological disorder called dystonia is estimated to have ended the careers of at least one member of every major American metropolitan orchestra. Dystonia has claimed the livelihoods of musicians across genres including the acclaimed pianist Leon Fleisher of the Peabody Conservatory of Music, former first oboist of the Chicago Symphony Alex Klein, acoustic guitarist Billy McLaughlin, classical guitarist Liona Boyd, keyboard player Keith Emerson of Emerson, Lake, and Palmer, and others.
Radim Zenkl, the Czech-born, California-based magician of the mandolin has been on the road and onstage since he arrived in the USA more than twenty years ago. He recently swung through my hometown of Portland, Oregon and performed his eclectic solo show to a packed house of enthusiastic fans.
Rio Con Brio started out to make one CD. As they recorded tracks, they realized they had two albums on their hands. One is their third choro album, the other is the debut of fado singer Alexandra Coutinho.
The NAMM Show, one of the largest music products trade shows in the world hosted by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM), opened today at the Anaheim Convention Center, welcoming an expected crowd of 90,000 musical instrument manufacturers, retailers, associates and their invited guests from all over the world to the industry's annual gathering.
If you were there, you’ll agree that the Baltimore host team put on an excellent convention for our quarter-century landmark. With so many people attending, the energy level was high. If you weren’t there, you want to know what you missed. Here are some highlights.
Links - Festivals, workshops and camps
- Acoustic Music Camp
A three day music camp for acoustic musicians teaching you how to play Mandolin, Bluegrass & Clawhammer Banjo, Flatpick Guitar, Django Guitar, Bass, Fiddle, Songwriting, Vocals / Harmony & Dobro. - Bluegrass Heritage Foundation
The Bluegrass Heritage Foundation’s mission is to preserve and promote the heritage of bluegrass music in America. - Camp Bluegrass
Camp Bluegrass is a one-week residential picking camp for bluegrass musicians. It is held each July at South Plains College in Levelland, Texas. - Didmarton Bluegrass Festival
Welcome to the Didmarton Bluegrass Festival website. - Festival Internacional de Plectro de La Rioja
Festival Internacional de Plectro de La Rioja - Festival Mandolines de Lunel
A festival worth visiting. - International Italian Mandolin Academy
The International Mandolin Academy directed by Maestro Carlo Aonzo provides a unique opportunity to participate in a one-week musical holiday dedicated to the mandolin and the guitar. - Mandolin Camp North
Mandolin Camp North is a weekend-long celebration of the Mandolin in both old time and bluegrass styles. - Mandolin Symposium
The Mandolin Symposium are six days of exciting and challenging mandolin experiences. The purpose of the Mandolin Symposium is to expose students of the mandolin at every level to the diversity of music and technique. - Mandopolis
The Mandopolis Festival is a world music festival in a village scale. We want to have brilliant artists as well as we want to keep in contact with the popular tradition of a village in Provence. - Sore Fingers Summer Schools
Sore Fingers Summer Schools is Europe's leading organisation for bluegrass and old-time music camps, offering world class tuition for all the instruments played in bluegrass as well as old-time fiddle and banjo, autoharp and singing. - Steve Kaufman's Acoustic Kamps
You don't have to be good at your instrument to come to Kamp. You only have to want to get better! - ZoukFest
World Music Camp