Advanced Bluegrass Ensemble
- Americana
- Bluegrass
- Country
- Fiddle
- Folk
- Guitar
- In-Person Classes
- Instrumental
- Roots
THIS IS AN IN-PERSON CLASS
Join award-winning fiddler Kathleen Parks (of Twisted Pine) for our very first Advanced Bluegrass Ensemble at Passim. This small, carefully balanced group will dive deep into the art of playing bluegrass as part of a cohesive band.
Unlike our general ensemble, this class will have limited slots per instrument—just 1 bass, 1 banjo, at most 2 fiddles, 1 rhythm guitar, 1 lead guitar, 1 mandolin, and 1 lead singer—ensuring every part of the band gets the space it needs to shine. Before registering, please check this link to make sure your instrument slot is still open.
Over the course of five weeks, you’ll:
Learn and arrange bluegrass repertoire with a focus on advanced harmony, groove, and improvisation.
Sharpen your skills in leading songs, backing up other players, and locking in with the rhythm section.
Gain real-world experience “picking and grinning” in a high-level, small-ensemble setting.
Who should join: We recommend that participants have already taken the Passim Bluegrass Ensemble and/or have experience playing bluegrass in a group. You should be comfortable learning by ear, improvising, and holding your own in a jam. That said, we don’t want to discourage anyone—if you’re unsure, email rachel@passim.org with a description of your background and we’ll help you decide if this is the right fit.
Class Schedule
Tuesdays: Sep. 9, 16, 23, 30, Oct. 7
Time: 6:30-7:45 pm ET
Location: Passim School of Music, 26 Church Street, Cambridge, MA(Classrooms are located on the second floor; unfortunately, there is no elevator.)
Ages: 18+
Please Note:Pre-sales are highly encouraged! Online sales end 2 hours before the class begins. A minimum of 4 students is required for the class to run. If canceled due to low enrollment, you will be notified and receive a full refund.
Kathleen Parks
- Folk
- Folk Pop
Kathleen Parks is a fiddler, singer, and songwriter who brings joyful and creative energy to the stage and studio. For the last 10 years, she has been heavily involved in touring and recording with her Americana/Jamgrass band Twisted Pine, where she sings, writes, and fiddles. On her upcoming solo album, her captivating songs lean more toward Pop, Folk, and classic Jazz, while her virtuosic fiddle blends and reimagines traditional and modern musical styles with boundless groove and playful improvisational spirit. Her deep grounding in Celtic and American roots music combines with her love for pop songwriting, soulful vocals, and groove-based improvisation, making every KP performance unexpected yet familiar: a musical journey from beginning to end. Over the years, Parks has shared the stage with artists such as Paula Cole, Sammy Rae & The Friends, Gordon Lightfoot, Aoife O’Donovan, The Punch Brothers, Jerry Douglas, and Sierra Hull.
