NEWS:

The Mike Seeger Commemorative
5th ANNUAL OLD TIME BANJO FESTIVAL
Saturday, July 16, 2011
The Birchmere Music Hall
3701 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria, VA
$29.50 (+service charges)
At Birchmere Box Office or 800-745-3000
ADVANCE TICKETS RECOMMENDED

Artists:

Bruce Molsky stands today as the premier old-time fiddler in the world, the defining virtuoso of Appalachia's timeless folk music traditions. It’s a very personal sense of authenticity that deeply informs his music. Whether performing an ancient reel from Virginia, a Swedish waltz, or a loping cowboy ballad, Molsky presents himself as exactly who he is. In addition to a prolific solo career, performing on fiddle, guitar, banjo and vocals Molsky frequently joins genre-busting super groups, like the GRAMMY®- nominated Fiddlers 4, and Mozaik, with Hungarian Nikola Parov, and Celtic giant Donal Lunny. He was on Nickel Creek's farewell tour, and performs in a trio with Scottish fiddler Aly Bain and Sweden's great Ale Moller

Buddy Wachter is widely regarded as the most influential four-string banjo player of our time. Performing and lecturing internationally as a musical ambassador for the U.S. Department of State since 1990, he has played more than 7000 concerts to audiences in 130 countries. This has done much to unite the world banjo community and has introduced the instrument to some of the remotest parts of the globe. He has also appeared as guest soloist with more than a hundred symphony orchestras, worldwide.

Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer, Two-Time GRAMMY® Award Winners, are a formidable powerhouse of sound, with a repertoire of traditional and contemporary folk, old-time country and swing music. Performing on cello banjo, banjo ukulele, 5 string and other hybrids. their superb harmonies, witty stage presence and warm rapport keep audiences coming back for more. Cathy is a 3x winner of the West Virginia Old Time Banjo Contest and Marcy is responsible for the resurgence of the cello banjo.

The Hot Seats play stringband music with simple intentions: to keep the role of traditional musician as entertainer and commentator alive and kicking. Homer and Jethro, The Skillet Likkers, George Formby, Harry Reser, Woodie Guthrie, Gus Cannon, Phil Ochs, Tommy Jarrell, Arthur Smith, Uncle Dave Macon, Frank Zappa – these are pools from which The Hot Seats draw. While striving to push tradition forward, the band takes great pride in their ability to play within a tradition style as well as without.

Workshops
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Location: House of Musical Traditions, Takoma Park, MD
301-270-9090
Click here to register.

12pm-2pm
BRUCE MOLSKY
CLAWHAMMER BANJO - INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED
Dig into the nuts and bolts of old-time clawhammer banjo!  We'll use a couple of great old tunes to explore ornamentation, melody, timing and playing clean and strong. Bruce will also  share some tips from some of his own banjo heroes, like Wade Ward, Tommy Jarrell and Fred Cockerham.

BUDDY WACHTER - 4 STRING BANJO VIRTUOSO
INTRODUCTION to 4 String Banjo - Intermediate level musicians of banjo, guitar, mandolin, etc.
Perfect for guitar players, banjo players and other string players who want to get a sense of how they can add the 4 string banjo to their musical talents. Buddy will give an introduction to various styles of 4 string banjo playing and then show techniques that will get you started. Bring Banjo & flatpick, or let HMT know that you may want to borrow a banjo

2:30-4:30pm
THE HOT SEATS
3 FINGER BANJO IN OLD TIME SETTING
You already play some clawhammer and wonder how to add fingerpicking to your banjo playing. The HOT SEATS play both- sometimes at once (on 2 banjos). You'll learn some 3 finger picking basics and context for working that in to old time music. Workshop will be combination instruction and jam session.

BUDDY WACHTER
JAZZ ON 4 STRINGS - INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED 4 string banjo or guitar
Learn 2 chordal arrangements of standard popular jazz/swing tunes on 4 String Banjo or tenor guitar. This could change your life!!!!

Download the flyer here.