BELLOWS FALLS — Immanuel Retreat Center and Stone Church Arts present the Festival of Mandolin Chamber Music II Jan. 17 to 19.
The Festival of Mandolin Chamber Music II is a workshop and concert dedicated to the classical mandolin and chamber music composed for the mandolin ensemble format.
A public concert on Sunday, Jan. 19, at 3 p.m. presents works for mandolin and guitar. Mandolinists are invited to register for a weekend of rehearsal, instruction, and performance.
Led by August Watters, a Boston-area teacher and composer, this festival is designed for the classical mandolin community and for concertgoers interested in classical chamber music.
A wealth of music exists for mandolin-guitar ensembles, but most of it has been forgotten or out of the public eye for generations. FMCM provides an opportunity to explore mandolin ensemble music, from baroque to romantic and contemporary works.
The festival weekend workshop is open to anyone who plays mandolin, mandola, or guitar, and reads standard notation. Music will be available for advance preparation. Guitar parts will be written in standard classical guitar format, although pick-style guitar may substitute for mandola.
Participants will divide their time roughly evenly between ensemble rehearsals and workshops. Chamber ensembles will be assigned according to preference, ability, and interest. A choice of workshops will be available, addressing technique, repertoire, and theory.
Watters, who will perform with the New England Mandolin Ensemble and Festival participants, is a multi-stylistic, improvising mandolinist, composer/arranger, and teacher. He has performed with some of the leading figures in today's revival of this instrument, and the advancement of its musical traditions.