Mandolin Orchestra - 2nd Rehearsal Completed!

[Adam Sweet]

I started the South Hadley Mandolin Orchestra (SHMO) in an effort to revive the beauty and popularity of the traditional mandolin orchestra, which was mainstream in the United States around the turn of the 20th Century. The Orchestra is staffed by volunteers, and will feature musicians and composers from all around New England and beyond.

For those of you who don't know me, I'm the founder and music director of the Sweet Music Studio (in South Hadley, MA) and the South Hadley Mandolin Orchestra. I started the first western MA mandolin orchestra when I was a teacher at the Northampton Community Music Center in the 1990s. After moving to South Hadley in 2008, I was contacted by a mandolinist from Eastern Massachusetts about setting up a tour for classical mandolinist from Italy. The tour never materialized, but it gave me enough impetus to begin planning for the South Hadley Mandolin Orchestra. The first stage of organizing was to recruit some players, and while there are many mandolinists in western MA, they are mostly folk players. Not to be undone by the challenge, I set about finding players that were interested in learning, and teaching them how to play. The first Mandolin Group Class consisted of players from Northampton, Amherst, Easthampton, Holyoke and Granby. It took three more years and several configurations of the group later before I felt ready to assemble the Orchestra. The first rehearsal was slated for September, 2013, but family illness put it back to February 2014. We just had our second rehearsal. I think we're committed now!

The current configuration consists of six mandolins, two mandolas and one mandocello. I'm actively recruiting players! Of course I can always use more mandolins, and mandolas and mandocellos get top billing

If you or anyone you know is interested in playing in a mandolin orchestra, we meet once a month at my studio in South Hadley, MA. I should say we have players coming from as far south as New Haven, CT, east as Boston and west as Albany, NY.

The website is http://www.mandolinorchestra.org (for updates and contact info)

I'm very excited about the orchestra as you can imagine. Firstly, because I'm not pulling a salary and there is no charge to be a member. I think that's the way music should be - in the community and part of the community.

Secondly, because it will be the first time an official mandolin orchestra has evolved out of mandolin players and educators in western Massachusetts since the 20th Century.

Thirdly, because it's about time we found a way to bring music back to the people, and what better way to do it than through mandolins?

[Amanda Gregg]

Adam, who is your New Haven-ite?

Thank you for your hard work setting this up. I will look forward to hearing you guys perform!

[lenf12]

Hi Adam,

As a former longtime member of the Providence Mandolin Orchestra, I can appreciate all of the time and dedication you're putting in to establishing the SHMO and wish you all the best luck. If I still lived in New England I would definitely make the effort to help support you. Rehearsing with the PMO was one activity that I looked forward to each Tuesday night and I certainly miss not having that opportunity any longer. Even more exciting was the 6 to 12 concerts we would play each season not to mention the 2 recording projects I had the pleasure to participate in. Keep at it and keep up your recruiting efforts. They will pay off. I'm reminded of that line from the movie "Field of Dreams", "if you build it, they will come".

Kind regards,
Len B.
Clearwater, FL

[bohemianbiker]

Congratulations! Starting an orchestra is no easy task, and I wish you the best of luck.

The orchestra I play in (Mandoleers) has about 20 active members, and we are just outside Wash DC, so one would think with that size of a population, we'd have more members. What were the recruiting tactics you used? bb