Cahoots
UMS 101:
All About The Banjo
Learn about the instruments featured in the Silkroad Ensemble’s performance of American Railroad, with a particular focus on the banjo, an instrument played and championed by artistic director Rhiannon Giddens. Led by professional banjo player and educator David Jones, a founding member of the Southeast Michigan indie band Frontier Ruckus, this 90-minute workshop will highlight the incredible versatility and vast history of the instrument in a session that includes conversation and demonstration in a fun, casual setting.
Tickets to Silkroad Ensemble’s performance are sold separately.
UMS 101 workshops are related to mainstage performances on the UMS season. Workshops are tailored for audience members who want to familiarize themselves with or deepen their understanding of a particular genre and performing artist in a fun, casual learning environment.
Each UMS 101 workshop is facilitated by a professional, community-based practicing artist/educator and features conversation, engaging activities, and live demonstrations that enhance each participant’s experience attending the full performance or can be enjoyed as a stand-alone experience.
David Jones is a professional banjo player and teacher in the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti area. As a founding member of the Southeast Michigan indie band Frontier Ruckus, he has played shows across the United States and Europe. A passionate educator, Jones avers that “banjo is not just a bluegrass instrument, but rather an incredibly versatile tool with which to play classical, blues, jazz, ragtime and even rock.” He loves to teach enthusiastic players of all levels of experience, from beginners to advanced, using a variety of notational and technical styles.
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