By Jack McNally
Robert Morris University Student & Calliope Intern
Beginner or advanced, the Calliope School of Folk Music has something to offer any level of musician. Beginners can learn the basics with a level one course, while more advanced players can learn and solidify techniques through a level two or three course. Most importantly, however, is that these musicians are part of a community, a community that is growing and developing out of the Calliope School of Folk Music and carrying over to the jam sessions and open mics Calliope offers throughout the city.
During the Winter ’09 session, Calliope ran ensemble classes in blues and bluegrass. These classes provided excellent informative exposure to the roles of the instruments when performing in a group. The skills learned in these ensemble classes gave the students the opportunity to learn how the instruments fit together and how they compliment each other. This knowledge is then carried over from the classes, enabling the musician to contribute to the jam sessions and helping to build the community by increasing the number of folk oriented musicians. All the while, these students are preserving the musical styles that Calliope has been focusing on for over 30 years.
“Calliope provides a whole circle to develop from the beginner to the advanced musician,” said Amber Coppings, Education Coordinator. “You can develop your ear at the Calliope concerts, develop your skills through our classes and workshops, meet like minded people, and contribute to the folk music community through our open mics and jam sessions.”
The Calliope School of Folk Music is also building an online presence and expanding this community through online networking websites such as Twitter, MySpace, and Facebook. You can become “friends” with Calliope House and keep informed of the developments and events offered by Calliope.
What’s new for the Fall '09 session? Zen Guitar is a new class being offered in the Fall ’09 session. This class will guide students down a path of Zen Guitar in 5 stages. Whether beginner or advanced this class can stimulate ideas, present direction, and define a purpose for the guitar player who may be experiencing a non-creative phase.
The Calliope School of Folk Music’s Fall '09 session runs from Sept. 21-Nov. 10. Please visit http://www.calliopehouse.org/school for complimentary information to this article and to view a full list of current classes and their descriptions.
Calliope is proud to announce that, beginning the fall of 2009, Jack McNally will join the faculty of the Calliope School as a Guitar I instructor.
