• The 19th Annual May Festival

    Featuring Marla Fibish, Baron Collins-Hill, and David Surette, with special guest vocalist Susie Burke.

    The 19th Annual May Mandolin Festival

    CONCORD, N.H. — The 19th annual May Mandolin Festival (was March Mandolin Festival) has been rescheduled for May 15-16 via Zoom. The festival is hosted by the Concord Community Music School and features Marla Fibish, Baron Collins-Hill, and David Surette, with special guest vocalist Susie Burke.

    This two-day event offers group workshops on a variety of topics, jam sessions, and a Saturday evening concert. Registration is $150 paid online at the festival web site or by check/mail.

    This virtual music event will allow for students to participate from all over the world without the limiting factors of travel and cost. Both Saturday and Sunday, we will have an epic Group Tunes jam featuring highlights from all the group tunes learned and played over the last 19 years of the festival. A list will be sent to participants upon registration.

    Schedule Saturday, May 15

    * All times are Eastern.

    • Workshop #1: 10:30-11:45 a.m.
    • Baron: A deep dive on mandolin technique and tone production
    • Marla: Mandolin in Irish music - history, development of styles, key contributors, etc.

    • Workshop #2: 12:00-1:15 p.m.
    • David: Right hand technique through different picking patterns and meters
    • Baron: Learn a Scandinavian tune
    • Lunch 1:15-2:30

    • Workshop #3: 2:30-3:45 p.m.
    • Marla: Phrasing, variation and ornamentation in Irish music
    • David: Bill Monroe: repertoire and legacy

    • Workshop #4: 4:00-5:15
    • Group tunes jam w/ David

    • Evening online concert: 7:30-9:00 (ET)
    • Workshop registrants receive one complimentary concert ticket

    Schedule Sunday, May 16

    • Workshop #5: 10:30-11:45 a.m.
    • Baron: Improvisation and melodic variation for fiddle tunes
    • Marla: Irish polkas - keeping them lively and fun to play (and learn a couple)

    • Roundtable Q&A: 12-1:00 p.m.
    • All hands on deck!
    • Lunch: 1:00-2:00 p.m.

    • Workshop #6 2:00-3:30 p.m.
    • Group Tunes jam #2 w/ David

    Additional Information


    Comments 1 Comment
    1. David Surette's Avatar
      David Surette -
      Yes, maybe we should have changed that. The festival has always been referred to as the March Mandolin Festival, so we kept the name, and hoped that all the other mentioning of it being shifted to May would suffice. Hope to see some old and new faces there this year!