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?
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