Martin Gilmore
Martin is well-known at Swallow Hill as a guitar and songwriting teacher, and the immersive 16-week Progressions offers students an opportunity to work with Martin on a deeper level.
“If you feel stuck in a rut in your playing, or if you want a new challenge and some growth in your musical life,” he adds, “I’m sure that Progressions: Folk Guitar is for you.”
So what is covered in Progressions: Folk Guitar?
“The course is designed as an in-depth course for people who are intermediate players and want to advance to an advanced player, or even a professional player,” Martin says. “(We’ll) help you learn how to build an interesting and dynamic musical repertoire.” Potential students must apply for Progressions.
APPLY: Progressions: Folk Guitar for Fall 2021
This version of Progressions leans into Martin’s expertise in playing, writing, and performing folk, bluegrass, and other acoustic-based styles of music. “We’ll meet twice a week and (you’ll) hone your skills on various kinds of folk guitar playing,” he shares. That includes “things like bluegrass flatpicking, or Travis-style fingerpicking, Carter Family-style guitar, Western Swing,” and more.
The course goes beyond technique, students will also work on performing as a solo artist as well as in an ensemble.
“Playing music is hard,” Martin says with a knowing nod, “and Swallow Hill is a music school that has a really supportive community. We all understand how hard it is.”
“Some people just need a bit of accountability to help them make progress and move ahead in their musical life,” he elaborates. “So Progressions will be designed as a really supportive environment for people who want to increase their skills and get better.”
Progressions: Folk Guitar is the second version of the immersive guitar class. Instructor Thomas Jennings conceived and launched Progressions: Guitar this winter and it was a rousing success. Thomas is offering his next edition of Progressions: Guitar this fall as well.
APPLY: Progressions: Guitar for Fall 2021
Progressions: Folk Guitar is an online course but there will be opportunities to meet in-person. Meeting in-person is not a requirement to apply for the course.
“Come and make music with us, we’d love to have you,” Martin says. “There are going to be a lot of opportunities for asking questions, for meeting musicians and possibly creating bands. It should be a really fun experience.”