Author Archives: Marilynn

News

Enigmatica – check out the update!

Enigmatica has a new look and has increased from 8 to 9 players, adding a 7-string guitar. Check out the page update here!

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Posted September 21st, 2022

News

New CD: Buying – Downloading – Streaming

My new CD, Silver Lining of a Quiet Year, is up on Bandcamp, where you can listen, purchase and download a single track or the entire CD, or order an actual physical CD with all the photos and info. You can also stream it on Spotify. More places to purchase coming soon!… Read More »

Posted September 20th, 2022

Of Note

Marilynn’s new CD is out!

Jumping the gun a bit, but here’s the exciting news– my brand-new CD is out! Original pieces I wrote in the first year of pandemic lockdown, when concerts, rehearsals, and workshops disappeared from everyone’s music calendars. Solos and duets for mandolins, along with some mandolin-guitar duets. It’ll be up for sale soon on this website and the usual places, more info soon!… Read More »

Posted September 13th, 2022

Of NoteWorkshops

AMGuSS 2022 is in the books!

The American Mandolin & Guitar Summer School 2022 was the hit of the summer! Barry Mitterhoff, Guest Artist Extraordinaire, & Enigmatica, Ensemble in Residence, performed brilliantly! Marilynn and her roster of talented teachers raised everyone’s playing levels in a variety of small ensembles and the All-School Orchestra. We can hardly wait for 2023!

Here’s a link to the information for AMGuSS 2022.

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Posted August 16th, 2022

Of Note

Guest Artist for AMGuSS 2022

AMGuSS is thrilled to announce that our Guest Artist for 2022 will be the multi-talented Barry Mitterhoff! He performs and records in an astonishing array of styles including bluegrass, jazz, classical, Brazilian Choro, and Klezmer. Barry is also a great teacher, one of the reasons he has been our AMGuSS Guest artist an unprecedented 3 times already. Come learn from him as well as our talented faculty. A great week of music is in store. More informationRead More »

Posted April 16th, 2022

Of Note

Conductor needed in Virginia

Friends of mine tell me that the Takoma Mandoleers, one of the oldest mandolin-guitar orchestras in the country, is seeking an experienced and dynamic conductor. Weekly rehearsals are held in Arlington, VA, on Tuesday evenings, and this is a paid position. If you are interested, there’s a Position Description at the bottom of the home page of the Takoma Mandoleers (https://mandoleers.org).
Conductors– check it out!
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Posted January 26th, 2022

Of Note

We did it– AMauGust 2021!

The happy masked crew just before the final concert of our AMauGust weekend. A great time was had by all!… Read More »

Posted October 19th, 2021

Of Note

AMauGust 2021

Hooray! We have invited AMGuSSers to gather August 5-8 in Providence RI to play in our orchestra and have as much fun as possible! A long week-end to tide us over until the return of our AMGuSS week in June 2022.

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Posted July 9th, 2021

News

The Complete Mandolinist Vol. 2

Mel Bay has published my 4th book! It’s 288 pages with 100+ scores and 2 dozen essays adding historical perspective. I am so psyched to be able to release this book that combines wisdom from my long careers as a performer and professor of music. It’s available from the Mel Bay website in book and download form. A print-to-order version, a slightly smaller size, is also available on Amazon. Check it out!

More info here!Read More »

Posted March 25th, 2021

Books

The Complete Mandolinist, Volume 2

Available from Mel Bay books and wherever fine books are sold.

In this sequel to The Complete Mandolinist, world-renowned mandolinist Marilynn Mair expands on her previous method books, presenting over 100 compositions that span 5 centuries, works she has thoughtfully edited or arranged for mandolin. Each piece is accompanied by a paragraph or two of musical context, and the book also includes 24 short essays on the evolution of musical style, drawn from decades as a Professor of Music … Read More »

Posted December 10th, 2020
    • “Smudging the lines between folk and classical is an intrepid endeavor… Mair’s a superb mandolin player who has brought the instrument to unexpected places…” – Jim Macnie, The Providence Phoenix (USA)

    • “Marilynn Mair has always had the keen ability to balance classical mandolin traditions and repertoire, while constantly breaking new musical ground…a superb and versatile mandolinist and composer.” – – Butch Baldassari, Mandolin Magazine (USA)

    • “Mair travels by mandolin to Brazil and brilliance… her commitment to the music shines through.” – Rick Massimo, The Providence Journal

    • “Stepping back to the 18th-century masterworks gave her the opportunity to highlight her technique with a fresh light… her playing is thoughtful, vibrant and a delight to listen to.” — Terence Pender, Mandolin Quarterly (USA)

    • “She’s a fabulous player with a wonderfully clear and lyrical sound.” – The Ottawa Citizen (Canada)

    • “Mair displays an exceptionally gifted approach to this music, using her formidable mandolin technique with grace and sensitivity… It’s the next best thing to a trip to Rio.” – David McCarty, Mandolin Magazine (USA)

    • “Marilynn Mair performs Brazilian mandolin music… she plays the mandolin as an instrument for all occasions.” – Vaughn Watson, The Providence Journal (USA)

    • “Bring a talented ensemble of gifted musicians together playing some of the great concertos and chamber music pieces of the 1700s, present the extraordinary classical mandolinist Marilynn Mair front and center, and you have a rare combination of the right musicians performing the right music at the right time.” – David McCarty, Mandolin Magazine (USA)

    • “Marilynn Mair é uma bandolinista americana de formação erudita” — Paulo Eduardo Neves, Agenda do Samba Choro (Brasil)

    • “Mair is unstoppable… capable of evoking any landscape, past or present, you’d care to conjure.” – Mike Caito, Providence Phoenix (USA)

    • “Marilynn Mair on mandolin…touches the deepest and most engaging reaches of the ancient and passionate ‘Latin soul’.” – Carlos Agudelo, Billboard Magazine

    • “A lovely concert! We estimate your spell-bound and enthusiastic audience at close to 1800 people…” – Lincoln Center Out-Of-Doors (USA)

    • “The final repeat of the melody transmitted a strong feeling of peace and tenderness that escaped no one in the audience. It is this sensitivity and subtleness that characterized the overall performance.” – Brian Hodel, Guitar Review (USA)

    • “A brilliant concert from beginning to end…The performance was extraordinary.” – La Rioja (Spain)

    • “A sparkling concert… absolutely brilliant!” – Guitar Magazine (England)

    • “Marilynn Mair acquits herself very well indeed, a most accomplished player, able to deal with the many intricacies the repertoire demands of her.” – Chris Kilvington, Classical Guitar (England)

    • “Marilynn Mair lives up to her reputation as an excellent mandolinist, with clear tone, a beautiful tremolo, and creative expressiveness.” – Zupfmusik Magazin (Germany)