Folk & Americana Ensemble (9-Week Class)
- Americana
- Bluegrass
- Country
- Fiddle
- Folk
- Guitar
- In-Person Classes
- Instrumental
- Roots
- The Folk Collective
THIS IS AN IN-PERSON CLASS
Sing and play the songs you love, together!
Folk & Americana Ensemble is a 9-week ensemble, bringing together singers and pickers to form the freshest, newest folk band in all of Cambridge! This extended format gives musicians more time to get to know one another, build a shared repertoire, and develop together as an ensemble.
Folk music is a big old tree with deep, deep roots and ever-growing branches. This ensemble is all about singing the songs, learning the history, and tracing the lines between past and present.
The group will learn and arrange songs over the nine-week session. Musicians will have the opportunity to lead songs, sing harmony, take solos, and arrange collaboratively. This class covers essentials of ensemble playing, including groove, dynamics, reading and writing charts, and listening across the group. With nine weeks together, the group will have more time to dig into arrangements, strengthen its ensemble sound, and develop real musical chemistry. This ensemble is a great choice for folks who want to play out more and soak up the joy of playing music with others.
Want to bring in a song? Yes, please! Repertoire choice will be a group collaboration. More information on this during our first class.
Prerequisites:Basic chord or melody fluency. Students must be able to tune their instrument and play (or sing) a handful of songs at a steady tempo. This class is not intended for absolute beginners.
Class Schedule
Mondays: September 14, 21, and 28; October 5, 12, and 19; November 2, 9, and 16
Bonus Open Jams: November 30 and December 7
Following the nine instructor-led classes, participants are invited to return for two additional open jam sessions. These informal gatherings will not have an instructor, giving class members a chance to keep playing together, revisit the group’s repertoire, and put their ensemble skills into practice.
Time: 8:00–9:15pm 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 two hours before the class begins. A minimum of four students is required for the class to run. If canceled due to low enrollment, you will be notified and receive a full refund.
Maxfield Anderson
- Bluegrass
- Roots
Maxfield Anderson is an American roots multi-instrumentalist, teacher, writer and music director, currently living in Somerville, MA. As an artist, Maxfield aims to bring new light to honored traditions and to share the joy of making music with others.
Growing up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Maxfield’s home was filled with an array of musical styles. After years of playing violin, his attention was taken hold by bluegrass and western swing fiddle, quickly leading him to discover the mandolin. He moved to Boston to study mandolin and American roots music at Berklee College of Music. Additionally, Max is a proficient guitar player, and after a year of isolation, finally broke down and added clawhammer banjo to the repertoire.
Teaching music has always been a big part of Max’s artistry. He believes that traditional music is an excellent vessel for understanding an instrument and finding your own voice as a musician. Teaching at Club Passim since 2020, Max has taught group courses in Beginner & Intermediate Mandolin, Bluegrass Ensemble (co-taught with Trevin Nelson), and Intro to Tune Writing. He also offers private instruction on mandolin, fiddle, guitar, music theory, and tune writing out of his home studio.
In addition to performing and teaching, Maxfield recently wrote and music directed the ‘Homegrown Stringband’ roots trio at Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky, OH. The trio performed authentic bluegrass, folk, and old time string band music throughout the summer season of 2022.
Maxfield graduated from Berklee College of Music with a BFA in Music Performance. He is an active gigging musician in the Boston music scene, and has toured throughout the Northeast playing listening rooms, ball rooms, bar rooms, back rooms, front porches and festival stages.
