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The Amsterdam 2004 Acoustic Blues and Fingerstyle Guitar Workshop will be held from September 27-30 at the Hotel Arena. 

 

Acoustic Blues, Jazz and Fingerstyle guitar workshops in Amsterdam with Woody Mann, Trevor Laurence, Peter Finger, Harry de Jonge, Lasse Johansson and other special guests.
 

Amsterdam, Holland
September 27-30, 2004

Acoustic Sessions workshops are a true guitar vacation. The day is filled with classes, workshops and jamming with new friends, while at night there is time to relax and explore the great cities of Europe. 

              

Study with master guitarists
Beginning to advanced students
Daily classes
Relaxed informal and non-competitive atmosphere
Meet new friends
Great site near the center of Amsterdam - all meals and accommodations included
 

 

 

A note from the directors:

Our goal is to create a relaxed non-competitive workshop environment with a balance of study and relaxation time. At an Acoustic Sessions guitar workshop everyone from beginning students to advanced players will be able to learn music in a comfortable and inclusive environment.

Woody Mann, Trevor Laurence

AMSTERDAM WORKSHOP

 

The workshop will cover various styles of acoustic music including traditional acoustic blues, contemporary styles, Latin rhythms and swing guitar.  The program is designed for students of all levels – from beginning to advanced.  In addition to the scheduled classes, there will be daily opportunities to study in casual gatherings, take private lessons with the staff, sit in on jam sessions, or to simply practice on your own. Total workshop enrollment is limited and class size will be small to give attention to the needs of individual students.

Acoustic Sessions has held workshops in New York and other parts of the US for many years, this will be our third year in Europe.  We'll be returning to Amsterdam's Hotel Arena near beautiful Osterpark.  The Hotel Arena offers us many rooms for classes, fine meals, and the option of private accommodations. 

The Program:
Each instructor will teach a class from 10AM until 12 noon for 3 days.  The general topics for classes are listed below.  Students will choose a class after meeting the teachers and hearing their class presentations on the arrival day (September 27).  In the afternoon teachers will offer workshops of varying topics each day.  A list of workshops will be posted each day.  
 

	Woody Mann (USA) Woody Mann had his first musical schooling with the legendary blues, ragtime and gospel guitarist, Rev. Gary Davis. He is widely known through his touring, recordings and many popular instructional books and videos. Woody will teach blues and fingerpicking repertoire and technique at the intermediate level.  His class will include repertoire from such blues and ragtime players as Rev. Gary Davis, Blind Blake, Big Bill Broonzy, Charley Patton, Bo Carter and others.  In the afternoon Woody will teach workshops on requested blues songs, his own compositions, jazz, jamming, and creating variations in your playing.
	Peter Finger (Germany) One of Europe's most accomplished fingerstyle guitarists and composers, Peter Finger will teach a class that features his most used tunings of DAEGAD and EBEGAD.  In addition to learning new sounds and chord concepts, the class will focus on ways to interpret a composition and fingerstyle technique.  In the afternoon, Peter will offer workshops on effective practice methods and how to combine fingerstyle with single-line playing.
	Trevor Laurence (USA) Trevor Laurence is a New York City based teacher of acoustic blues and jazz.  He will teach the basics of fingerstyle acoustic blues guitar for students who are just getting started in this style.  The songs of Mississippi John Hurt, Big Bill Broonzy, Blind Boy Fuller, Rev. Gary Davis, and others will be taught.  This class will develop the basic techniques that can be applied to many styles of acoustic guitar playing. No previous experience in blues fingerpicking is necessary. Trevor will also teach workshops in the afternoon on blues and ragtime, Brazilian guitar, and jazz-swing guitar basics.
	Harry de Jonge (NL) Amsterdam’s own Harry de Jonge is a blues guitarist specializing in the bottleneck slide style of the Mississippi Delta.  He will teach the basics of open tunings and slide, including the songs and techniques of the great American blues guitarists including Robert Johnson, Son House, and Tampa Red.  In addition to his classes Harry will also give workshops on fingerpicking blues in standard tunings including songs by Scrapper Blackwell.
	Lasse Johansson (Sweden) Lasse Johansson, has recorded several fingerstyle guitar albums for Kicking Mule records.  His latest book, Early Jazz For Fingerstyle Guitar, was released last year by Mel Bay Publications.  Lasse will teach his fingerstyle arrangements of classic songs by Fats Waller, Scott Joplin, Eddie Lang, Jelly Roll Morton, and others. In addition to building repertoire, this class will teach how to create simple fingerstyle arrangements using alternating picking techniques, moving bass lines and new chord positions. His afternoon workshops will include special arrangements for duets, ragtime, and early jazz songs.
	Guest workshops: Susanne Vogt (Germany): Susanne Vogt will be our guest vocal teacher and will be available each afternoon for private lessons and workshops

You do not have to sign up in advance to study with a teacher. In addition to the classes, staff will be available for private lessons at no additional charge.

 
Sponsors:

        
This year’s workshops are supported by Albert & Mueller Guitars and Amistar Guitars who are making it possible for students to attend who cannot afford full tuition.

Location and accommodations

Our site for the Amsterdam workshop is the Hotel Arena, located next to the Osterpark, in the heart of Amsterdam. The hotel’s location makes it the perfect home base for getting to know Amsterdam. Whether you want to stroll along the canals, play guitar in the park, relax in one of the many traditional brown cafés or sample the nightlife, it’s all within easy reach of the Hotel Arena.

Amsterdam Tuition
Septmeber 27-30, 2004

(arrive 12noon to 2PM on September 27, depart 10AM on September 30)

$500USD - tuition only (for students who don’t require a room)
$795USD – tuition, accommodations (double or triple room), meals
$945USD – tuition, accommodations (single room), meals

Convert US dollars to Euros or other currencies

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
(please email us for bank details if you would like to make a bank transfer)

Dining at the Hotel Arena.

 

The price of the workshop includes dinner on the first night, breakfast & lunch each day, accommodations, all classes, concerts and workshops.

A deposit of $250 will hold your space at the Amsterdam workshop.  The remaining balance is due 1 month before the workshop begins.  If you prefer, you may pay the full balance at time of registration.  Deposits will be refunded up until 1 month prior to the start of the workshop.  After registering students will receive a confirmation letter with complete details regarding traveling to Amsterdam, arrival and departure times, and what to bring to the workshop.

Space is limited so reserve your space today.
 

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