Author Archives: Marilynn

News

Welcome to Marilynn’s webpage!

For over four decades Marilynn Mair has played music across the globe, released two dozen solo and ensemble recordings, published four method books, written countless columns, and taught as a Professor of Music at Roger Williams University. She has dedicated herself to establishing the mandolin as an instrument of importance, for her lifetime and the future. Learn from her journey here. para portugues… Read More »

Posted June 22nd, 2025

News

Enigmatica will perform on June 28th!

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Posted June 22nd, 2025

News

AMGuSS is in the books!

Our week of workshops, orchestra, small ensembles, and 4-concert series wrapped up on June 21. And a great time was had by all! Pictured below is the student-faculty orchestra just before the final concert of the week. This was the penultimate AMGuSS session, as Marilynn is wrapping things up next year, deciding that 1986-2026 is a good run! Watch for information on the final AMGuSS on this page sometime in October.Read More »

Posted June 22nd, 2025

EventsOf NoteWorkshops

Chris Acquavella ~ AMGuSS Guest Artist 2025!

AMGuSS is happy to announce Chris Acquavella as our Guest Artist for 2025.  Chris will be on campus with us all week. For more information on Chris, go HERE.

Links to AMGuSS information are in the post below. We still have a few spots left for this year’s session.… Read More »

Posted November 18th, 2024

EventsOf NoteWorkshops

AMGuSS 2025 Registration is open!

AMGuSS will be held from June 16-21, 2025,
on the campus of Roger Williams University
in Bristol, Rhode island.

More Information HERE.

Download a Registration Form HERE.

Register & pay online HERE

Check out 2024’s schedule for the week HERE

Registration is limited to 35 students,
so don’t delay!… Read More »

Posted October 22nd, 2024

EventsIn ConcertOf Note

Enigmatica takes the stage on December 8th!

Enigmatica will give our annual December concert at the wonderful intimate concert hall of the Bay Springs Community Center in Barrington, Rhode Island on Sunday December 8 at 2:00 PM. We will play a concert, entitled “Music for a Winter’s Day,” that includes the music of Bach, Brazil, and New England composers. Info here.

Come join us to hear tunes from our CDs and music for the winter holidays. And you can pick up some CDs at special concert discount … Read More »

Posted October 17th, 2024

EventsOf NoteWorkshops

AMGuSS 2025

We have the dates! AMGuSS will be held this year from June 16-21, 2025, on the beautiful waterfront campus of Roger Williams University in Bristol, Rhode Island. More information to come. Registration will open by the end of October.… Read More »

Posted October 16th, 2024

News

Enigmatica’s new CD gets rave review!

Read the review of Enigmatica’s new CD, The Road Less Traveled, in the August issue of the CMSA’s Mandolin Journal!… Read More »

Posted August 2nd, 2024

News

The Road Less Traveled

Enigmatica is proud to announce the release of its 5th CD, “The Road Less Traveled,” featuring music by J. S. Bach, Astor Piazzolla, Rhiannon Giddens, Peter Maxwell Davies, and group members. You can listen and purchase a copy on Bandcamp.… Read More »

Posted June 22nd, 2024

Of Note

Concerts next week!

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Posted June 11th, 2024
    • “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)