We had the best ever Maestro Bistro Plus on August 15. Our fantastic hard-working instructors have followed up with handouts for class participants—click the links below to view them.
Virtual MFC Maestro Bistro
Glen Loper’s “Learn a Jig” workshop
Glen Loper taught a workshop for the Maestro Bistro Plus on August 15, 2020, entitled “Learn a Jig – The Cavers of Kirkcudbright”.
Here is a link to a series of Zoom recordings from the workshop.
Here is a list of the different segments within the Zoom recording:
- Cavers of Kirkcudbright A part : Call and response
- Cavers of Kirkcudbright B part : Call and response
- Cavers of Kirkcudbright Doublestop Back-up
- Cavers of Kirkcudbright: Double-stop chord progressions
MaestroBistro Plus #2, August 15, 2020
Virtual Maine Fiddle Camp continues!! The “action” all starts at 4:30 on Saturday, August 15
We will continue with a monthly, 3rd Saturday, Maestro Bistro concert featuring MFC staff members preceded by workshops presented by the same staff members. You can participate in two ways. First, you can watch the concert live streamed on YouTube or Facebook by going to the MFC YouTube channel here, or by going to the MFC FaceBook page. We are suggesting a $10 donation for the Maestro Bistro show only (donate here). The second way will be by registering for the full MB+ (register HERE!). This will allow you to take the workshops interactively via Zoom and join everyone in “the main tent” for socializing before and afterwards. Upon registration you will be given Zoom links to all 3 workshops as well as the “main tent”.. After the workshops you will be able to stay in the tent with other campers and interact while watching the show. When you register, you will be asked for a free-will donation of $25 to support our efforts.
The workshops will all start simultaneously at 4:30PM, and the concert will follow, running from 6-7:30. Here is the August 15 lineup:
Jeremiah McLane
Ed Pearlman
Isa Burke
And here are the workshop descriptions. If you want to join any or all of these register HERE!:
Jeremiah McLane, Breton Ridée/Laridé:
The Ridée/Laridé represents a family of Breton dances from the Vannes region, along Brittany’s southern coast. They are characterized by arm movements which enable the dancers to stay in time together and with the music, unlike Breton dances that are defined primarily by the choreography of the foot movements. This workshop will focus on a suite of four Ridée 6 temps (‘six count’) melodies. Open to all instruments, intermediate to advanced.
Ed Pearlman, Power of a Tune Title:
This workshop will focus on learning a haunting, four-part, D minor reel called “Seann Truibhas Uilleachann” but will also discuss how that tune is related to three other tunes and a dance, which, because of their titles, came to be viewed as coded messages about the powers that be. One of the related tunes even caused a man to be brought to trial for asking a piper to play it while there was a minister present (the title of that version was directed against ministers). All levels are welcome to choose how they’d like to participate, whether to learn the tune or participate in the discussion. Sheet music and audio will be made available online.
Isa Burke, Songwriting: Write Now, Edit Later
I often like to think about the songwriting process in two distinct parts that require two very different approaches: writing and editing. It often helps to write freely without worrying about whether it’s perfect, or even good — you can save the worrying for the editing phase. In this workshop, we’ll start by exploring generative techniques and exercises designed to get you generating lots of ideas. Then, once we’ve got some raw material, we’ll switch into editing mode and talk about how to refine those ideas into a song. We’ll even look at some writing exercises that will get you writing while also making the editing process easier for your future self!
REGISTER HERE for workshops and socializing in the main tent!