Breaking Barriers: Composing for Mandolin Across Genres. This workshop will focus on the creative advantages of remaining open to playing and composing in a wide variety of musical styles, drawing on the rich diversity of the American folk and jazz traditions. Phil Lawrence will play samples from his various original compositions and analyze the sources and inspirations for his tunes. The presentation will be open to questions and discussion with the audience.
Phil Lawrence has been playing mandolin since 1978 when he bought his first round-back mandolin on a whim. He has learned to play all different musical styles, including bluegrass, jazz, klezmer, swing, blues, and rock. He performed for more than 10 years with the iconic San Francisco rock band It’s A Beautiful Day and he has recorded with David Grisman and David LaFlamme. He’s also the author of two books of original musical compositions and has eight CDs of original music, as well as singles available on his Bandcamp page and website.