2012 CMSA Convention

**M2Lou** · Oct-17-2011, 10:26am

Yep - We are already underway with planning the 26th Annual CMSA convention!

It will be held in Minneapolis, Minnesota from Tuesday October 9 - Sunday October 14, 2012 at the Sheraton Minneapolis West hotel.

Please block the time on your calendars and plan on attending!

**vkioulaphides** · Oct-17-2011, 12:47pm

Man, you got energy! I was about to write to you this morning, but thought better of it, assuming you'd be comatose, post-convention... Wrong, again!

If next year's event is anything like this year's, it should not be missed. I am still in a state of wonderment...

Three cheers for the CMSA!

Victor

**dj coffey** · Jan-04-2012, 11:09am

Hi Mandolin Cafe folk! I've received an update from Lou Chouinard about the 2012 convention. There is a date change and please mark your calendars.

It should be a great convention and we're very much looking forward to hosting it in the Twin Cities!

Dotty Coffey
2012 Convention Host Committee Chair

AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THE
CMSA 2012 CONVENTION

The 2012 CMSA Convention, in Minneapolis, was originally scheduled for October 9 – 14.

Due to a scheduling problem, the hotel is working with CMSA to change these dates to October 2 – 7, one week earlier.

While I do not have a signed agreement yet, I expect to have one soon. I will notify you again when the contract is signed.

I wanted to get the word out as soon as possible so people can make plans accordingly.

I hope this unexpected and unforeseen change has not caused any inconvenience. If so, please let me know.

Lou Chouinard
CMSA President and Convention Committee Chair
CMSAPresident@ClassicalMandolinSociety.org

**dj coffey** · Feb-01-2012, 6:04pm

RESERVATIONS FOR THE SHERATON MINNEAPOLIS WEST ARE OPEN NOW!

The Sheraton Minneapolis West will be hosting the 2012 CMSA convention.

The CMSA rate for the convention (Tuesday, October 2 – Sunday, October 7) is $109 per room (single or double). There is no hotel tax at this hotel so, with sales tax included, the total cost per night is only $116.93.

If you want to take a few days to vacation in Minneapolis before or after the convention, this rate is also good for 3 days before and 3 days after the convention.

Since we have a limited number of rooms available at this rate, we are encouraging you to make your hotel reservations early. If your plans change, you can change your reservations, at no charge, up to 6 PM on the date of your arrival.

The best way to make your reservations is on-line at:

http://www.starwoodmeeting.com/Book/ClassicalMandolinSociety

You will find lots of hotel information on this website and be able to book your reservations on-line.

You can also call 952-593-000 or 1-800-325-3535 to make your reservations on the phone. Be sure and identify that you are with CMSA when you make your reservation.

**dj coffey** · Apr-25-2012, 9:38am

Extra! Extra! Performer Announcements for this year's CMSA Convention!

Planning for the 2012 CMSA Convention, to be held in Minneapolis, October 3-7 at the Sheraton Minneapolis West Hotel, is well underway. As the Host Committee Chair, I am happy to announce that an astonishing array of internationally renowned talent will join us for performances and workshops.

Frequent CMSA Convention attendees will be excited to learn that Dr. Jim Bates will return as conductor of the En Masse Orchestra. Jim is a professor of music at Otterbein University, is the assistant conductor and principal bassist in the Westerville Symphony, and is on the conducting staff of the Interlochen Center for the Arts. Jim always does an excellent job of making participation in the En Masse Orchestra a fun learning experience culminating in an outstanding concert performance.

As usual, mandolin orchestras will be featured at concerts - the host orchestra, the Minnesota Mandolin Orchestra, and mid-western favorite, the Milwaukee Mandolin Orchestra, will be joined by an international visitor - the Plektra Mandolin Ensemble from Sydney, Australia, led by Stephen Lalor. Stephen has performed and recorded with major symphonies in Australia and abroad. He will also be playing a solo concert for us.

Evan Marshall will lead the Teacher’s and Technique Workshop (a 6 hour pre-convention workshop / master class that begins on October 2nd), will present 2 additional workshops during the week, and lead sectional rehearsals for the Second Mandolins. Evan will also perform with the En Masse Orchestra. Evan is known for his “highly experimental approach to the mandolin...blending bass lines, chordal accompaniment, and tremolo melodies without overdubs.”

Guitarists will be excited to learn that Rene Izquierdo and Elina Chekan will perform as Duo Exaudi. In addition, Rene will perform as a duo with Carlo Aonzo. Rene and Elina will both perform with the En Masse Orchestra and lead sectionals for the Guitars. In addition, they will jointly be presenting 2 workshops focused on classical guitar techniques and performance. Rene has won awards in international competitions, including the JoAnn Falletta International Guitar Competition and the Schadt String Competition, among others. Rene is on the faculty of the Peck School of the Arts at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Elina is currently teaching classical guitar at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee where she also directs the Suzuki and Pre-College Guitar Program. Rene and Elina will lead the sectional rehearsals for the guitars.

Carlo Aonzo will perform both as a duo with Rene and as a solo performer and teach workshops. He will also perform with the En Masse Orchestra and lead sectional rehearsals for the First Mandolins. Carlo is based in Savonna, Italy, and has performed and conducted workshops worldwide, including his well-known Manhattan (NY) Mandolin Workshop held in March, and his International Italian Mandolin Academy, held in August in Italy.

Brian Oberlin, co-founder of the Oregon Mandolin Orchestra with his wife Elizabeth, will also perform at the convention. Brian has a varied and successful mandolin career beginning in bluegrass with his band Northern Accents, progressing to more eclectic sounds with Grasshoppah, and honing his focus currently on classical music with bassist Josh Feinberg and with the Ger Mandolin Orchestra. Brian will perform a solo concert and will also present 2 workshops during the week.

We expect to have even more announcements about additional performers and in the near future! Stay ‘tooned!

Dotty Coffey
Chair - Host Committee
2012 CMSA Convention

**Jim Garber** · Apr-25-2012, 10:44am

Great news! Man, I just wish I could go. I had a great time in Baltimore but Minneapolis is way too far for me.

**MLT** · Apr-26-2012, 7:40am

Great line up of performer/presenters. Right now it is looking as though I will not be able to make it due to a vacation freeze during September-October due to a major system implementation, but I am hopeful that I may still be able to squeek out a Fri-Sun (meeting) attendance.

**Don Julin** · Apr-26-2012, 8:21am

Hi Dotty, good to hear that you are heading up the CMSA conference. Say hi to Lou Chouinard for me. I have not attended one of these in many years but 2012 might be it. Not sure if you remember me but I caught a ride with you from the airport to the Symposium together a few years ago.

**dj coffey** · Apr-26-2012, 8:38am

Originally Posted by Jim Garber

Great news! Man, I just wish I could go. I had a great time in Baltimore but Minneapolis is way too far for me.

Sorry to hear that. I know that folks in the mid-west are thrilled to have this level of performers coming to the Twin Cities, some from all the way down under. It'll be great for the two MMO's (Minnesota and Milwaukee) to rub elbows and show off our chops!

**dj coffey** · Apr-26-2012, 8:39am

Originally Posted by MLT

Great line up of performer/presenters. Right now it is looking as though I will not be able to make it due to a vacation freeze during September-October due to a major system implementation, but I am hopeful that I may still be able to squeek out a Fri-Sun (meeting) attendance.

Even a couple of days with the CMSA folks is worth the trip!!! IMHO. Good luck!

**dj coffey** · Apr-26-2012, 8:42am

Originally Posted by Don Julin

Hi Dotty, good to hear that you are heading up the CMSA conference. Say hi to Lou Chouinard for me. I have not attended one of these in many years but 2012 might be it. Not sure if you remember me but I caught a ride with you from the airport to the Symposium together a few years ago.

Don, I absolutely remember you! Lou and I have discussed you (were your ears burning)?

This is my third convention - a very different experience from Symposium - they are equally fantastic opportunities to rub elbows with great mandolinists of all stripes, not just classical. And I've very much enjoyed the emphasis on the En Masse Orchestra performance and the challenging music we present in that.

Hope to see you in October!

**dj coffey** · Jun-29-2012, 4:08pm

CMSA 2012 Update

Summer is finally here and plans are wrapping up for performers/workshop/sectional leaders and musical selections for this year’s CMSA convention.

First of all, you will be able to register for this year’s event beginning on our about July 15th. Please monitor this thread in the Mandolin Cafe or the CMSA 2012 Convention webpage for updates. Also, if you have not already done so, it would be a good idea to make your hotel reservations at the Sheraton Minneapolis West soon. This is a small hotel, so we will be the only event there. But, because it’s small, it may well sell out!

You can make your reservations for the Sheraton online or via the phone at 952-593-000 or 1-800-325-3535. To get the CMSA rates ($109 per night), please identify that you are with the CMSA.

Now, on to the musical business at hand. Performers! Composer-in-Residence! En Masse Music!

We are thrilled to announce that Peter Ostroushko will round out our cast of internationally famous mandolinists! Peter is a Minneapolis native, and has performed frequently on Prairie Home Companion. He is a composer and side man for a variety of performers (Bob Dylan anyone? Willie Nelson?). And Peter has performed Mahler and Vivaldi for the internationally regarded St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and the Minnesota Orchestra. As a composer, his works have been featured in Twin Cities Public Television’s nationally distributed programs and featured in Ken Burn’s documentaries including Lewis and Clark and Mark Twain.

Another local, Dr. James Holdman, has agreed to be this year’s composer-in-residence. Holdman is a composer, multi-instrumentalist performer, and educator residing in Minneapolis, MN. His compositions, which are influenced by jazz, world music and post-tonal art music, have been performed by contemporary music ensembles such as Zeitgeist, RenegadeEnsemble, Duo46, counter)induction, and others, as well as community ensembles. He also composes electronic music and music for theatre and dance. Holdman currently performs with earWorm, an electro-acoustic improvisation ensemble; the Marimba Bullies, a Zimbabwe mbira-influenced marimba group; plus a Greek rembetika duo. In addition, he has been performing American popular music and other styles for more than three decades. Holdman is currently a faculty member at Inver Hills Community College (MN), and received his PhD in music composition from the University of Minnesota in 2010.

Now - on to music! Our En Masse Conductor, Jim Bates, has finalized the music selection for this year. In addition to James Holdman’s Joropa de Lara, we will perform Il Traforo del Sempione by Domenico de Giovanni, a turn of the century Italian piece; Mikri Thalasa, a hauntingly beautiful Greek folksong by Australian composer Betty Beath; and a new work with lots of stylistic diversity - Three Miniatures for Mandolin Orchestra by Keith Harris.

Convention registrants will receive music in electronic form via email once their registration payment has been processed. If you do not have access to the Internet, we will mail you the music. As mentioned earlier, we expect to begin taking registrations on July 15th.

**John Goodin** · Jul-01-2012, 3:40pm

Dotty, this is great news! Adding Peter O. to the already stellar lineup makes this upcoming CMSA look like one of the best ever. Maybe the planning committee can talk Peter into giving a workshop discussing his work with the Mando Boys and his contributions to Norman Blake's Original Underground Music from the Mysterious South (for my money the best mandolin ensemble/orchestra recording ever!).

I've got my hotel room reserved.

John G.

**dj coffey** · Jul-05-2012, 1:33pm

John, indeed it is a thrilling line up. We are particularly happy that we have such a range of talent and representation geographically. Stephen Lalor and Plektra from Australia for goodness sake! Hey...perhaps we should ask for reciprocity and take our show on the road down-under!!!

Also...of great interest to AMGuSS alumni and her many fans....Marilynn Mair will be joining us as a performer! It goes without saying that Marilynn has made a huge contribution to the visibility of the mandolin in the United States and Europe, has challenged mandolinists new and old with her method book, the Complete Mandolinist, her joint venture with Paulo Sa in creating a method for Brazilian choro and her many CD recordings.

This will be a very exciting convention. I'm certain people can't wait to register. Not to worry. we will be able to take registrations in the next few weeks and thereafter get out all that fantastic En Masse orchestra music for folks to practice on!

In the meantime...time to make your hotel reservations and travel plans. Minneapolis is looking forward to seeing you all!

**dj coffey** · Aug-09-2012, 9:52am

Hey come one, come all!

We are excited to announce that registration for the 2012 CMSA Convention in Minneapolis is now open!

The convention is from October 3-7, with an optional Teachers and Technique Workshop led by Evan Marshall that begins the evening of October 2nd.

We are also excited to announce the section leaders for En Masse Orchestra. Mandolin 1's will be led by Carlo Aonzo. Mandolin 2's by Evan Marshall. Rene Izquierdo and Elina Chekan will lead the guitar section. The remaining section leaders will be announced as they are identified.

You can find out more about registration here, as well as details about the convention as are presently available.

Do remember that you will need to make hotel reservations with the Sheraton Minneapolis West. Those reservations can be at the hotel website or by calling 952-593-000 or 1-800-325-3535. To get the CMSA rates ($109 per night), please identify that you are with the CMSA.

We are looking forward to seeing lots of our Mandolin Cafe friends in Minneapolis in just a few weeks!

Dotty Coffey
Minneapolis Host Committee Chair

**dj coffey** · Aug-09-2012, 2:49pm

Another late breaking update on section leaders. Marilynn Mair will be leading the mandola section!

Dotty

**dj coffey** · Aug-28-2012, 10:54am

We are seeing great enthusiasm for this years convention! A number of people have asked about the schedule of events.

At this time, we can give a big picture schedule. The workshop schedule is under construction and will be in flux until very close to the time of the convention itself. Looks like there will be some terrific workshops!

If you've not already booked your rooms at the Sheraton, you should do so ASAP. The hotel staff informs us that for part of the week of the convention, they are already 90% full. Those reservations can be at had by calling 952-593-000 or 1-800-325-3535. To get the CMSA rates ($109 per night), please identify that you are with the CMSA.

Here is the schedule of events. We look forward to seeing everyone!

2012 CONVENTION SCHEDULE

Tuesday 10/2
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM Registration Area Open

6:00 PM – 9:30 PM 9th Annual Teachers and Technique Workshop

Wednesday 10/3
11:00 AM – 6:00 PM Registration Area Open

Noon – 6:00 PM Vendor Area Open

8:30 AM – 11:00 AM 9th Annual Teachers and Technique Workshop

11:15 AM – 12:45 PM Board Meeting

1:30 PM – 2:45 PM Workshops

3:00 PM – 5:30 PM En Masse Orchestra Rehearsal

8:00 PM – 10:00 PM Welcome Party

10:00 PM - ???? Late Night Jamming

Thursday 10/4
8:00 AM – 10:00 AM Registration Area Open
Noon – 2:00 PM Registration Area Open

9:00 AM – 6:00 PM Vendor Area Open

8:30 AM – 9:45 AM Sectional Rehearsals

10:00 AM – 11:15 AM Workshops

11:30 AM – 1:00 PM Mandolin Orchestras at Lunch Concert

1:15 PM – 2:30 PM Workshops

2:45 PM – 5:45 PM En Masse Orchestra Rehearsal

8:00 PM – 10:00 PM 11th Annual Norman Levine Playing Contest

10:00 PM - ???? Late Night Jamming

Friday 10/5
8:00 AM – 10:00 AM Registration Area Open
1:30 PM – 3:00 PM Registration Area Open

9:00 AM – 6:00 PM Vendor Area Open

8:30 AM – 9:45 AM Sectional Rehearsals

10:00 AM – 11:15 AM Workshops

11:30 AM – 1:30 PM Gala Banquet

1:40 PM – 2:55 PM Workshops

3:05 PM – 5:30 PM En Masse Orchestra Rehearsal

7:30 PM – 10:30 PM Concert at Hotel

10:30 PM - ???? Late Night Jamming

Saturday 10/6
8:00 AM – 10:00 AM Registration Area Open
Noon – 2:00 PM Registration Area Open

9:00 AM – 6:00 PM Vendor Area Open

8:30 AM – 9:45 AM Sectional Rehearsals

10:00 AM – 11:15 AM Workshops

11:30 AM – 1:00 PM Lunch Concert + Open Mic

1:15 PM – 2:30 PM Workshops

2:45 PM – 5:30 PM En Masse Orchestra Rehearsal

7:30 PM – 10:30 PM Concert at Hotel

10:30 PM – ???? Late Night Jamming

Sunday, 10/7
9:00 AM – 11:00 AM General Membership Meeting
9:00 AM – 11:00 AM Vendor Area “Tear Down”

Other
Tuesday Noon – Sunday 2 PM Office - Cedar

**dj coffey** · Aug-29-2012, 1:50pm

An important reminder.

September 4th is the cutoff for early registration for the convention AND for getting the CMSA negotiated hotel room rate of $109.

After the 4th, the convention will cost you $50 more, and hotel rooms will be available at their normal room rate. The hotel is already 90% full for at least part of the week of the convention, so hurry and make your reservations before it fills up and you have to pay more!

Those reservations can be had by calling 952-593-000 or 1-800-325-3535. To get the CMSA rates ($109 per night), please identify that you are with the CMSA.

And you can sign up for the convention online or via mail.

**M2Lou** · Sep-03-2012, 11:37am

The clock is ticking! Tomorrow is the early registration and hotel reservation cut off date. Don't be late

**jerrymartin** · Sep-11-2012, 10:18am

I have friends who want to attend the Saturday night concert; how can they obtain tickets?

Jerry M.

**John Goodin** · Sep-16-2012, 9:39am

Jerry, I could be wrong but my understanding is that the Friday & Sat. night concerts will be pass-the-hat kind of deals this year with no tickets necessary. I also believe that the concert space will not have lots of seating. I haven't seen the room.

So tell your friends to come and bring their friends and maybe we'll have the great "problem" of a full house. The lineup of talent is amazing. I'm personally hoping that Carlo Aonzo and Peter O. will find something to play together.

John G.

**DougC** · Sep-18-2012, 9:23am

I just got the scoop from Lou and he says, "Yes – all concerts, both Lunch and Evening are free" and open to the public.

I wrote this, based on the official schedule;

FREE TIME for meals.

Lunch Wednesday 11:00 - 1:30

Dinner Wednesday 5:30 - 8:00

Dinner Thursday 5:45 - 8:00

Dinner Friday 5:30 - 7:30

Dinner Saturday 5:30 - 7:30

These are end times and start times for events so if you leave the building...allow some travel time.

There will be some really nice banquets and meals at the convention. But this list shows when there is some free time.

Doug

**dj coffey** · Sep-18-2012, 3:32pm

Practice files - there are some mp3 practice files available for Keith Harris' work "Miniatures" to be performed by the En Masse Orchestra. Some people may find these very helpful!

http://www.minnesotamandolinorchestr...is-1-domra.mp3
http://www.minnesotamandolinorchestr...2-habanera.mp3
http://www.minnesotamandolinorchestr...-pipelined.mp3

**Adad** · Sep-29-2012, 11:36am

anyone have a place for an older teen to crash wednesday, thursday & friday night? he's a great player but neither his instructor nor his parents are available for this trip.

**M2Lou** · Oct-08-2012, 11:52am

Wow - what a week! Still lots of unpacking to do. Advanced sleep deprivation is not helping

In case you didn't catch this from the Cafe home page (thanks Scott!), check out this link:

http://www.twincities.com/localnews/...twincities.com

They will probably take it down soon so check it out soon if you are interested.