Class Details and Descriptions

Chris Acquavella Classes:

  1. Beginner Class: To Trill or Not To Trill....

    Trills have been a part of classical mandolin music since the baroque period. They have been taught in every mandolin method from Leone to Calace to Wolki. Most methods, however, stop short of showing the student how to build proper trill technique. This class focuses on building good trill technique. It will walk participants through the various steps in creating a solid, fluid and full trill. We will look at the progression of trills through history. How to shape your trills; what fingers to use for a particular trill style; and discuss the “Prefix, Shake and Cadence”. This class will shed light on a rather tricky mandolin technique.

     

    Advanced Class: Sonata G-Dur by Johann Conrad Schlick.

    Johann Konrad Schlick (1749-1818) was celebrated as one of the best cellist of his time. He composed many of his pieces for his wife, famed violinist Regina Strinasacchi. This delightful piece in G major for mandolin, liuto (mandocello) and obligates Cembalo, is an interesting example of his work. Written in three movements; Allegro moderato, Andante and Rondeau. The mandolin part uses many positions on the fingerboard and the cello part is just as challenging. We will look at various interpretations as well as discuss the technical demands of this exciting piece.

     

    General Subject: The Art of Being a Paisan....Italian Music.

    Italian music, romantic classical and folk traditional, is an absolutely delightful art form for the mandolin. The music can take an audience through many different emotions in one piece. However, there is indeed an art to getting the most out of the notes and phrasing. This class will learn two Hugo D’Alton handwritten arrangements that were given to me by Alison Stephens. Speranze Perdute and Serenade of Old Napoli. We will listen to Hugo D’Alton’s performance of these two pieces, which he recorded in his kitchen. Talk about use of tremolo, various plectrum techniques and utilizing the entire fingerboard. I’ve arranged these two pieces for mandolin quartet so that we can play together as a class. 

     

    Orchestral Selection: The Battle for Planet ONKARS by Chris Acquavella

    (North American Premier)

·    

Daniel Ahlert Classes:

  1. Beginner Class: The Mandolin in all its various Facets

    In this class, we will get to know the mandolin in its roles as a lead instrument as well as an accompanist. Gabriele Leone's "Allemandes" bring out the joy of chamber music and teach basic techniques along the way.

     

    Advanced Class: The Mandolin Techniques of a Virtuoso

    While playing Raffaele Calace's romantic masterpiece Preludio No 2, this class is going to explore different high-level mandolin techniques. Improve your skills of performing smooth scales, tremolo, and arpeggios!

     

    General Subject: Period Mandolins

    In this class we are going to take a closer look at our instrument's history: Different types of historical mandolins and their use as well as new discoveries and historical performance in the present day will be our focus.

     

    Orchestral Selection: Suite Marinaresca by Amadeo Amadei

Florian Klaus Rumpf Classes:

  1. Beginner Class: How does your right-hand feel? And why does it matter? About the ways to hold a pick and work with it.

    In this workshop, we will take a close look at our right hand. Where is there unnecessary tension and how can we release it? How does the plectrum lay in our hand and what possibilities are there to influence the tone? We will also look at the different instruments in the mandolin family and their special features for the right hand.

     

    Advanced Class: Partita Piccola No. 2 by Florian Klaus Rumpf

    The "Partita Piccola No. 2" for mandocello is currently being written during the preparations for this year's San Diego Classical Mandolin Camp. In the workshop, we will address the technical challenges. To make the class accessible to everyone, there will be sheet music in TAB and classical notation, as well as a version for instruments in CGDA (bass and alto clef) and GDAE.

     

    General Subject: It’s all an Educated Decision: One way to your own interpretation

    Using examples from different mandolin eras and schools, we will discuss what clues the notation gives us for our notation. We will look at what possibilities there are to translate these on the instrument and when it might be a good idea to break the rules.

     

    Orchestral Selection: Losing my Mind & You Could Drive a Person Crazy by Stephen Sondheim / arr. F.K. Rumpf

Stefanie Acquavella-Rauch Class:

General subject: Recreation through Music: Clubs, Amateurs, and Professionals in late 19th Century Mandolin Culture