Workshops List
BEGINNING CLAWHAMMER BANJO
March 21 - 23, 2010
If you have always wanted to play the 5-string banjo or if you have tried several times to START to play the banjo – THEN THIS CLASS IS FOR YOU!!!! Don’t wait – sign up today!
Class Requirements for Beginner Banjo Class for the Total Beginner- each attendee will need a 5-string banjo in playable condition. Electronic tuners and/or recorders are optional but electronic tuners are REALLY helpful. (If you don’t have a 5-string banjo, please contact me or Carl.)
Class Description: We will focus on clawhammer-style banjo for absolute beginner. We will learn how to tune the banjo and how to implement the rhythmic right hand clawhammer technique along with simple chording for the left hand. We will combine melody and rhythm notes and will progress from very simple to slightly more complex tunes. We will review tablature and some advanced techniques (pull-offs, slides), and will have tablature handouts that illustrate a simple and complex way to play a tune. The goal is for each player to learn the basics during the class AND to have enough material to continue playing and learning at home. This class will be fun and, as past students have observed, you’ll be amazed at your own progress to being a banjo player!
Class fee $225.00 – a non-refundable registration fee of $45 is due at the time of registration. The remainder of the class fee ($180.00) plus any material fee is payable to the instructor at the beginning of class. (does not include lodging)
Instructor: Lukas Pool
Lukas Pool began playing banjo as a young boy growing up in the Ozark Mountains where he was immersed in the Old time, Folk, Bluegrass and Celtic music and regularly played on the courthouse square. Lukas became a regular performer on stage at the Ozark Folk Center State Park at age Twelve. He later became a clawhammer banjo instructor for the Music Roots program in Mountain View's schools as well as teaching private instruction at the Mountain View Music Store.
Lukas has been a contract performer at many shows around Arkansas as well as the "Winfield Kansas" in 2007 and placed in the finals at the Clifftop band contest in 2009. He took First place at the Lowell, Massachusetts Oldtime music competition in Clawhammer banjo and in Twin Banjo and Fiddle.
Lukas is currently attending the prestigious Berklee College of Music on Scholarship where he takes instruction from and performs with such music greats as Darrell Anger, Matt Glaser, Mark Simos and John McGann. He also performed on stage in Boston with the Carolina Chocolate Drops in 2009 and Mark O'Connor in 2010.
Lukas Pool has earned his reputation as one of the finest banjo players in the business and has also proven to be adept at teaching his skills to others. He breaks down the complex techniques into basic components that are easy for the beginner to grasp.
He also enjoys teaching students how to break down tunes to the bare bones of a melody. He then teaches how to embellish and improvise around that melody to build the tune back up. This concept will keep students busy learning on their own for years after the workshop.