Passim Mandolin Ensemble
- Americana
- Bluegrass
- Country
- Folk
- In-Person Classes
- Instrumental
- Roots
**THIS IS AN IN-PERSON CLASS**
Sick and tired of banjos, guitars, and fiddles ruining your jam? Do you dream of a double-coursed world, tuned entirely in fifths? Do you yearn to tremolo in six-part harmony?
Led by mandolinist Maxfield Anderson, the Passim Mandolin Ensemble is a unique four-week summer session designed for intermediate players who are looking to deepen their ensemble skills and explore the versatility of the mandolin. This all-mandolin (and mandolin family) ensemble will work through a dynamic repertoire spanning a range of styles – folk, classical, bluegrass, film/video game music, and beyond.
Mandolin players unite!
Pre-reqs:
intermediate playing and reading ability
Open to mandolin, mandolin family, bouzouki, cittern, and similar string instruments
Pre-requisites:
comfortable playing open chords, moving between chords, and strumming basic rhythms
note: familiarity with your instrument is necessary for this class, familiarity with bluegrass is not!
Please bring a notebook, pencil, and recording device – your phone works great! Guitar and banjo players please bring a capo. For this style of jamming, guitar players should expect to use a flat pick, and banjo players to play 3-finger, or “Scruggs”, style.
This class will be held from 6:30-7:45pm ET on Tuesdays, July 29, Aug 5, 12, 19
Please note: The class will be held at The Passim School of Music which is located at 26 Church St. Cambridge, MA. Classrooms are located on the third floor and, unfortunately, we do not have an elevator.
Limited to 7 students (18 yrs of age or older); Pre-sales are highly encouraged! Online sale ends 1 hour before the class begins. Tickets can be purchased at the door. before the class begins. 4 students are required for this class to meet. If a class is cancelled 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.
