When: Daily, at noon (I'm pretty sure, check your local listings), Dance Hall at Camp One, the end closest to the dining hall or, if it's too bloody loud thanks to Irish accordions, around the corner behind the dance hall. Same place as last year.


What:
I'll lead a repertoire session focusing on Italian music. With luck, we'll get through one new tune each day. I have some really nice ones picked out for this year, and we can review faves from earlier years too. 


For whom?:
Those with playing skill from intermediate to beyond. In other words, we assume you either:

1) possess a mandolin, and can hold a pick, track a melody, repeat a line back, and are interested in learning tunes like this, or...

2) own a guitar, can track a melody and keep a beat, and are interested in learning to accompany tunes like this. (I have an open hour before this session, if you want to sign up and get some prep before the class, that would be great!)

These sessions are also appropriate for anyone playing a friendly other instrument such as a fiddle, concertina, and so on. Probably not great for trumpets or zampognas, though. Try Camp 2!


Where's this music from?:
From two guys I played with a lot, Riccardo Tunzi (1900-1990) and Tony Flores (1916-2004), but from numerous other sources as well: movies, old 78s and LPs, modern recordings, operas, other people, you-name-it.

I prefer teaching/learning tunes by ear, but for those addicted to black dots, I'll probably have some charts as well.
Riccardo Tunzi, Caffe Pergolesi in 1988


Riccardo Tunzi was from Ticino, the Italian canton of Switzerland, and lived in California, initially in the Salinas Valley, from 1919 until he passed. Though he kept an apartment in San Francisco's North Beach for many years and hung out with Sicilian musicians there, he really kept a Swiss feel to his playing. Much of his repertoire was remembered from his youth in Locarno, Ticino.  
Tony Flores and PH

Tony Flores was from San Vito Lo Capo, Sicily. An opera buff his whole life, and a keen sight reader, his entire mandolin repertoire and style were quite different from Riccardo's. He came to California as a kid in 1923 and lived in Monterey, San Francisco and Santa Cruz for the rest of his life.

For years I played guitar for these two men - with Riccardo for the last fifteen years of his life, and a few more with Tony Flores, who passed away in September 2004, just shy of his 90th birthday on 26th October.
 
Here's a track  of Tony and I playing Toselli's Serenade.
Their playing styles define two sharp contrasts in the realm of Italian mandolin music. I'll teach selections from each of their repertoires, and probably some things not from their repertoires. As usual, some sheet music will be available, but we'll focus on learning by ear. 

Aurora Mandoline Orchestra 1937. Tony Flores, always a snappy dresser, is wearing the red bowtie

The Aurora Mandoline Orchestra, 1937. That's Tony with the red bow tie.


I have a considerable backlog of interesting and accessible mandolin repertoire from 'round the world which I love to play and share. If the group is interested, we can stray into other musical realms for really nice tunes that are appropriate for the mandolin. Neither Tony nor Riccardo played Italian music exclusively, and neither do I. And neither should you. Click here for more info about that. 





 
 
 

When: Daily at 11 (again, check the schedule), in the little room behind the dance hall at Camp One, or probably at a more audially friendly place, to be determined. 

What: I'll teach one-on-one lessons for guitar, or mandolin. Or any other instrument, if I play it and can be of help. As mentioned above, if you're interested in the Italian mandolin class and want to get a little prep time before that class, here's your chance.

Guitar has always been my main instrument, and I love how it fits into so many places. Want to brush up on accompaniment styles of a more-or-less European persuasion? Italian, African, Swedish, Greek, Mexican, Polish or Hawaiian music? Ragtime? Delta blues? Want to know how to play or accompany an old Beatles or Riley Puckett song? How to play with a flatpick, or fingers, with or without picks? How to tune the bloody thing? By arrangement I can shift to mandolin or banjo, for that matter.

For whom?: You. Maybe you and a friend. Any level, it's a private lesson. I'm your guy. Sign up and we can do it. I have one hour a day to commit to this, so I'll spread it at most over three sessions of 20 minutes each, or two half-hours, or the whole hour on one lone soul, as the demand dictates. This could be a continuation of the pervious hour of Italian tunes, or not.

There will be a sign-up sheet appropriately located. Or just see me.

For any of these classes, having a cassette, minidisc recorder, or the  stylish small recording gizmo of your choice is probably a good idea. 


Call me Flip. And WAKE UP!

to some details about other mandolin repertoire 

 visit my webpage   |   to the actual Lark website