“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)
Rio Blog 3: August 22, 2007
Monday I glued myself to my computer all day and was able to finish editing the 2nd proofs of my method from Mel Bay. I ran out to email the corrections in the evening and, as there was a waiting line at the internet cafe, got into a great portu-english session with Kinho (who works there) until a computer was available.
Tuesday eu fiz muitos coisas in the morning and met Romulo in Leblon in the late afternoon to go to his favorite juice bar — the famous Bi-Bi —and then we got some dinner before heading to Trapiche. Last Friday Romulo passed the “prova” to continue his graduate studies in engineering and is now officially a doctorate candidate — so he is very glad
and relieved. He’d told his friends to meet at Trapiche to celebrate and lots showed up. So we had great conversations — in portugues and some in English — between the great choros. Luiz Barcelos was back in his bandolim spot, and Jaime was back at cavaquinho, Eduardo was in fine form, but Rui was absent on clarinet. However, with one fewer soloist we got to hear a lot more of the incredible Rogerio Caetano on 7-corde guitar, 
so it was, of course, a stellar evening.
Tomorrow I go back to Joel’s for another lesson, and Friday is Luiz’s concert, and Saturday is choro school, and Sunday is the roda… you get the idea. I’m in music heaven!
bjs.
m
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