If you are an intermediate mandolin and/or guitar player (or up) you will enjoy exploring a musical universe of unsuspected sophistication that predates the mainstream American school of playing. In the early 1900s Italian immigrants played tunes brought from the old country (tarantellas, mazurkas, polkas) but also composed new music incorporating the rhythms and forms of the new world (cakewalks, ragtime, swing). In this class we will learn about the history of the genre by listening to original recordings and playing from the original sheet music which was usually published for two mandolins and guitar (or from tablature if you need it). The first parts can be challenging, the seconds are accessible to advanced beginners or intermediate players. Guitar parts usually stay in first position.

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