By
Instructor: Rob Flax
All Levels; Bass players & All Instruments
Inspired by Tom Warrington’s fantastic method book, Rob outlines a simple strategy for creating powerful walking bass lines. Take the guess work out of the low end! While this course is primarily aimed at bassists, all instruments are encouraged to attend, both to practice bass lines of their own and also to better understand what their rhythm section is doing.
By
Led by: Pam Weeks; Bonnie Black; Joni Harms; Rob Flax; Fred White
All levels, All Instruments
How might we come together as instrumentalists and singers of all levels of playing and singing ability, and of experience in this form of music, and then ply them all together in a grand chorus of gratitude, praise and lamentation? This session will attempt to answer this question by an active involvement in that direction. One hoped-for outcome would be a sense of the possibility of organizing similar gatherings at home, as might meet the needs of the local community.
By
Instructor: Rob Flax
All levels, All Instruments
The most direct way to foster “creativity” is through “creating!” This workshop is designed to foster courage for improvisation and composition using the abstract musical structures fiddlers already know, and encourages participants to embrace simple constraints as strategies for inspiration. When creating new music there are no answers, only better questions.
By
Instructor: Rob Flax
All levels, Fiddle
This class focuses on unpacking the underlying structure of the jazz standard “Ja-Da,” a simple melody from the pre-bop era, which features a ii-V-I progression that pops up in thousands of jazz tunes (and many other places).
Tunes
Ja Da, by Bob Carlton (1918), as performed by the legendary jazz violinist Stuff Smith: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=15&v=S9WM0W-pQSg
By
Instructor: Rob Flax
All Instruments
Multi-instrumentalist Rob Flax has a Masters degree in Contemporary Improvisation (“C.I.”), from the New England Conservatory, and in this workshop he shares secrets and insights from the C.I. program plus concepts developed over many years of performance. Participants will focus on deconstructing what makes a solo “compelling,” learning compositional strategies and exploring the importance of the human voice to craft better solos. Each participant will also have the opportunity to take a solo and receive feedback, masterclass style (but this is not required to participate!)
By
Instructor: Rob Flax
All Instruments
The violin family of instruments has remained virtually unchanged for hundreds of years, a feat unmatched in any other realm of technology. But with the advent of instrument amplification the modern string player has access to a whole new world of sound possibilities.READ MORE
By
Leaders: Joni Harms; Mac Morin, Rob Flax, Fred White
Format: Panel Discussion
What are the nuts and bolts of making a living with music? Learn how some successful players have been doing it for years. Get some questions answered on getting started like “How much do we charge” or “ How do we market the gig”. Learn some tips for negotiating a performance or event.
