Events Archive

The Music Emporium is proud to present an evening with GRAMMY® Award-Winning Guitarist, Ed Gerhard.

Join us as Ed Gerhard shares an evening of exquisite guitar music- performing songs from his CD "Sunnyland," and new material from his upcoming CD as well as concert favorites. Performing on 6-string, slide guitar and Hawaiian lap steel, Gerhard combines rare compositional depth with inspired virtuosity. Fans of guitar music won't want to miss this opportunity to see and hear one of the country's finest players.

In addition, TME will be hosting a pre-concert workshop where Ed will offer insights into his playing style, performance techniques, and unique approach to composition. Seating for the workshop is limited so register early.

Saturday October 11th, 2008
Workshop 6-7:30: $40
Concert 8:15: $20
Sign up for both: $50

About Ed

From sold out tours of Japan, to festivals in Italy and venues across the US, Ed Gerhard’s music has touched concert audiences all over the world. Gerhard stands out among instrumental performers for his ability to captivate audiences with a combination of virtuosity, generosity and humor distinctly his own. Known for his gorgeous tone and compositional depth, Gerhard can move a listener with a single note.

Performing on 6-string, 12-string, slide guitar or Hawaiian Lap Steel, Gerhard’s musical intensity comes with a sly sense of humor. His distinctive touch is unmistakable. Whether performing a lush, sensual ballad or a haunting, bitter lap steel melody Gerhard will mesmerize an audience, crack them up with an improvised joke then carry them into the depths of the next piece before they know it.

Each of Gerhard’s eight releases have received high praise from critics and guitar fans worldwide. His recordings are renowned both for the beauty of the music and for superb, audiophile quality. The Sounding Board says of his latest release “Sunnyland,” “ This highly anticipated new release delivers with flying colors. Each track resonates beautifully with crystal clear perfection.”

Gerhard was awarded a GRAMMY® for his inclusion on the compilation CD “Henry Mancini; Pink Guitar.” It won Best Pop Instrumental Album of the Year. He arranged and performed Moon River. His music is featured in the Ken Burn’s film Mark Twain.

He tours extensively in the USA, Europe, Japan and Korea.

As part of our ongoing Meet Your Maker series, The Music Emporium is proud to host Bill Collings for an intimate evening of food, drink, music and spirited conversation. This will be Bill’s third visit to our store in the last six years and if past events are any indication, the evening will be quite entertaining, very informative, and indeed inspirational. There have been plenty of new developments at Collings since his last visit. The electric line has taken off and is garnering high praise in the solid-body guitar world. There have been advancements in their mandolin design, in particular their new oval-hole A Models, which has been hugely successful. Just another example of Bill’s ongoing efforts to re-envision and reinvogorate Old World designs. There have also been big changes in the guitar market as a whole. We’ll explore the future of guitar building and some the challenges facing the industry--scarce resources, cheap imports, a struggling US economy, and the aging baby boomer generation.

This visit also comes on the heels of The Music Emporium’s 40th year in business. It’s been a long exciting road since Stu Cohen first opened up his shop in Pittsburgh, PA. The rise, fall, and rise again of the vintage market; the stratospheric growth in the single luthier market; and of course, Collings’ sharp ascension to the forefront of American luthiery and the many dealers who have shared and celebrated in the unbridled growth and expansion of the high-end guitar market.

Lots of things to talk about and lots of very cool guitars to sample, including some of our very rare 40th Anniversary Models. Please join us on Friday night at 8PM. RSVP’s strongly encouraged. If you can’t make it on Friday, Bill will be in the shop all day Saturday for questions and guitar consults. We look forward to seeing you there.

Cost per entry: $25.00 CLOSED, Waiting List Only

The Music Emporium welcomes Pete for a fingerstyle guitar workshop and intimate concert. Everyone LOVES this guy's playing (including our staff) and with good reason. A National Fingerstyle Guitar Champion, Pete has done it all: won the prestigious Winfield Guitar championship, toured with John Denver, authored several immensely popular instructional DVDs, played Carnegie Hall (who hasn't?!) and even recorded and played with LeAnn Rimes on Dancing with the Stars (I am not kidding about this. Check out his website...) We are thrilled to host him, and look forward to a great night of music and learning.

More about Pete at: www.petehuttlinger.com

Back by popular demand, the Taylor Road Show returns to The Music Emporium. Come and meet some of the Taylor Factory Staff, test-drive new models, listen to cool and informative Taylor demos, and register to win Taylor Gear giveaways. There will be special deals on in-stock models as well as some unique one-off models. These events are hugely popular, seating is limited, so reserve your space today.

Please contact us to reserve your seat.

November 18
7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Event is free

We have reached maximum capacity due to overwhelming response for this event

Fishman presents an intimate and rare solo appearance with dobro virtuoso, Jerry Douglas. 12-time Grammy Award winner and National Heritage Fellowship awardee, Jerry has recorded 11 solo projects and has played on close to 1600 albums with such artists as Alison Krauss, J.D. Crowe, Eric Clapton and Robert Plant. Jerry will be in the store to present and demonstrate Fishman's Aura Technology, display his dazzling vocabulary of dobro licks on his signature model Beard resonator guitar, and take questions from the audience Seating for this one-time event is limited to 50 attendees, and is currently at capacity

December 9th
7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Event is free but at capacity

Nashville-based mandolin star Matt Flinner returns to The Emporium for an informative and inspiring workshop. Geared for developing players across a range of levels, Matt will offer some great mandolin insights, ideas, exercises and more to help your playing. If you are a beginner looking for a good foundation, or a more intermediate player looking to move past your current plateau, Matt will teach to your level and will help to elevate your playing and build confidence. 

RSVP Here

Workshop Time 7:00pm-10:00pm
$50.00

Cost per entry: $35.00

The Music Emporium welcomes Pete for a fingerstyle guitar workshop and intimate concert. Everyone LOVES this guy's playing (including our staff) and with good reason. A National Fingerstyle Guitar Champion, Pete has done it all: won the prestigious Winfield Guitar championship, toured with John Denver, authored several immensely popular instructional DVDs, played Carnegie Hall (who hasn't?!) and even recorded and played with LeAnn Rimes on Dancing with the Stars (I am not kidding about this. Check out his website...) We are thrilled to host him, and look forward to a great night of music and learning.

RSVP Here.

More about Pete at: www.petehuttlinger.com

The Boston Bluegrass Union and The Music Emporium are pleased to present a workshop with two-time IBMA guitar player of the year, Jim Hurst. The workshop is titled ”Theory of Musical Relativity,” and focuses on how to improve your ability and enjoyment in playing the instrument through a better understanding of the fretboard, your accomplishments on the instrument, and your influences and musical tastes.  Jim will provide many tips, exercises and techniques designed to help you improve your playing. He covers many facets of musical abilities, understandings, fundamentals, practice and performance tips, the importance of melody, right hand exercises and techniques for single and multi-string improvement, Left hand challenges and exercises, chord positions, and scale importance.   While the workshop will have a bluegrass flavor, Jim welcomes acoustic instrumentalists of all styles.

Two-time IBMA guitarist of the year, multi-award winning guitarist in Bluegrass, as well as country, and other acoustic music genres, Jim is known throughout the Nashville TN area as one of the best in the business. His talents of singing, multi-intrumentalist abilities and well-rounded stylings have garnered him support positions and recording sessions with some of the best artists in Country and Bluegrass music. Trisha Yearwood, Sara Evans, Holly Dunn, Claire Lynch, Travis Tritt, John Cowan, Mark Schatz, Tim O'Brien and more.  You can learn more about Jim’s work and concert schedule by visiting his website www.jimhurst.com .

Workshop is open to players of all instruments and abilities but is targeted to guitar players of intermediate or advanced ability. Attendees are welcome to make an audio recording of the workshop, but please no video. 

Fee is $50 for general public / $45 for BBU members. 
Time 7:00-9:30 

Advance reservations are highly recommended. RSVP Here  

Tony Trischka spearheaded the movement to change the course of banjo music in the early 1970s and continues to do so to this day.  What had previously been a primarily straight-ahead bluegrass and old-time instrument became, in his hands, a vehicle for greater melodic and harmonic sophistication.  Through Tony, the banjo found its way into many different musical forms from Jazz to Rock to Classical.  His technical and conceptual advances allowed for much greater freedom and opened the way for such players as Bela Fleck and Alison Brown.  He has recorded 16 solo albums for Rounder Records and has performed and recorded with such folks as Earl Scruggs, Ralph Stanley, John Denver, members of REM, William S. Burroughs, Steve Martin, and Charles Osgood.

The Tony Trischka banjo workshop is geared to all levels, from beginner to advanced. It focuses primarily on the variety of bluegrass styles, Scruggs Style in particular, as well as melodic and single-string styles.  Tony addresses such topics as developing one’s own solos by “playing the syllables”, back-up, playing up the neck, and the Sally Gooding position. He also covers improvisation and composition and, time permitting, the history of the banjo. There is always room for questions and requests for topics. Tablature will be provided, and Tony recommends that participants bring with them audio or video recording devices.

When: Thursday June 3rd
Time: 6:30 -9:30 PM
Fee: $50 
RSVP Here 

The Music Emporium is thrilled to offer a workshop and concert by the extraordinary guitarist Tim Sparks.  Despite his busy schedule teaching, recording, writing and filming educational materials, and touring the globe, Tim has offered to spend some quality time at the Music Emporium in his only Boston area appearance.

Tim Sparks won the National Fingerstyle Guitar Championships in 1993 and has since gone on to record an amazing body of work.  He has shared cd space with some of the most respected guitarists working today, notably Marc Ribot and Bill Frisell.  Tim has carved out a unique niche for himself by reinterpreting Jewish music for solo guitar and chamber ensembles on John Zorn’s Tzadik label.  Tim’s compositions are unlike anything else in the guitar repertoire and are fascinating examples of the limitless possibilities of the instrument.  Darkly romantic and technically brilliant, his songs are models of gifted arrangement and inspired improvisation.

Both the workshop and the concert will be an opportunity to revel in Tim’s vast musical vocabulary.  The workshop will focus on 2 tunes each from Tim's last two albums, the blues focuesd "Sidewalk Blues" and the Jewish themed "Little Princess."  This is also a time to get Tim’s advice on any musical questions you may have on arranging, improvising, or performing.

The concert is a chance to hear Tim at his best.  He will perform a repertoire that focuses on his Jewish and Balkan themed music for the  for the Tzadik label, which includes the compilation of recordings for Masada Guitars as well as his four subsequent solo albums.  Tim hasn't performed some of these pieces since their original recording dates and this will be a comprehensive look at his impressive back catalog.  If it is anything like his last appearance here it promises to be a show that is quite simply not to be missed and is guaranteed to leave your jaw on the floor.

Don’t just take our word for it. Leo Kottke had the following to say about Tim Sparks, “I'm Tim Sparks' biggest fan. His stuff is very difficult to play but it doesn't sound difficult. I think that's real musicianship. He's really one of the best musicians I know.”  Bill Frisell said of Spark’s album Neshamah, “Tim Sparks is incredible, a complete original.  Every guitarist on the planet has got to hear this.”

The concert will be held after the workshop and is free to all workshop attendees.

When: Sunday June 13th

Workshop: 4:00 - 6:00 PM Cost: $30
Concert: 7:00 - 8:30 PM Cost: $10 (free to workshop attendees)
RSVP Here 

This two hour workshop is appropriate for the advanced beginner to intermediate player who has some fingerpicking experience. Mary will explore the Piedmont or East Coast style of blues by presenting a few tunes and many tips on how to approach this music . Students will explore how to balance melodies, alternating bass and moveable chords, all necessary components that work together to strengthen solo Piedmont style playing.

Fingerpicks are optional, reading tablature is necessary and taping the class is encouraged!

Portland Oregon's Mary Flower is a Blues Music Award nominee and Yellow Dog Records recording artist who tours and teaches internationally. She is renowned for a uniquely personal vision of roots music that blends ragtime, acoustic blues, and folk - technically dazzling yet grounded in the down-to-earth simplicity of early 20th century American music.

With eight albums under her belt, Flower has earned rave reviews from critics and audiences alike for her unassuming vocals, but it's her instrumental skill - a mastery of the difficult Piedmont blues guitar that takes most players a lifetime to hone - for which Flower is most celebrated.

Her fingerpicking forms the basis of a heavily syncopated, ragtime-based style wherein the thumb plucks a strong rhythmic base as the fingers etch out the melody. Mary also excels at lap slide guitar, allowing her to infuse songs with a supremely delicate, plaintive sound that's hers alone while recalling the blues giants of the past.

Flower performs and teaches internationally, and has released several instructional DVDs, including a few for highly regarded Homespun Tapes.

Workshop: 7:00 - 9:00 PM Cost: $30

RSVP Here 

Rudy Blazer and Willi Henkes are Europe's premiere guitar builder's specializing in the resoration and the historically accurate reproduction of pre-War American flat top guitars. Having handled hundreds of the finest instruments, they bring a wealth of knowledge to their workbench. Each and every guitar is a stunning homage to the great flattops of yesteryear. We are pleased to be one of only two dealers in the country offering a selection of their guitars.

Rudolph Blazer started his career as a luthier in 1971 as an apprentice with one of the well-established guitar manufacturers of Germany. After gaining experience through years of repair work he opened his own shop in Stuttgart. In 1980 he moved to the town of Tuebingen, concentrating on the serial production of traditional steel string guitars.

We are pleased to offer the rare opportunity to meet Rudolph Blazer. As part of our "Meet Your Maker" series he will make a presentation of his building process and there will be a small representation of Blazer and Henkes guitars on hand for demonstration.

The event will be Tuesday October 5th at 7PM. You may RSVP here.

Back by popular demand, the Taylor Road Show returns to The Music Emporium. Come and meet some of the Taylor Factory Staff, test-drive new models, listen to cool and informative Taylor demos, and register to win Taylor Gear giveaways. There will be special deals on in-stock models as well as some unique one-off models. These events are hugely popular, seating is limited, so reserve your space today.

Also, from 12-4 that afternoon we'll have a free Taylor restring clinic. Bring in your Taylor guitar and we'll check it out, clean it up and throw on a new set of strings of your choice. You cover the strings, the work is on the house. Limit one restring per customer. 

Please contact us to reserve your seat.

October 13th
7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Event is free
RSVP 

As part of our ongoing Meet Your Maker series, The Music Emporium is proud to host Bill Collings for an intimate evening of spirited conversation. This will be Bill’s fourth visit to our store in the last eight years and if past events are any indication, the evening will be quite entertaining, very informative, and indeed inspirational.

There have been plenty of new developments at Collings since his last visit. The electric line has taken off and is garnering high praise in the solid-body guitar world. The ukuleles have set the bar for quality and tone in the high-end ukes. There have also been big changes in the guitar market as a whole. We’ll explore the future of guitar building and some the challenges facing the industry.

Lots of things to talk about and lots of very cool guitars to sample.  Please join us on Friday night at 8PM. RSVP’s strongly encouraged. If you can’t make it on Friday, Bill will be in the shop on Saturday from 12 to 5 for questions and guitar consults. We look forward to seeing you there.

The event will be Friday, December 3rd at 8PM. Doors will open at 7:45PM.  You may RSVP here.

There are great songs out there that you’ll never hear because they are “under-performed” by the artists. And there are great artists out there that have all the chops in the world but short shelf lives in the eyes of the listener because they perform songs that need “tweaking”. And there are some situations where a little stagework on both can bring a performance to life! Vance’s Collision Course Workshop offers you the opportunity to take an instructive, simultaneous look at your performance skills and your songwriting in an “open mike” stage setting. That’s where it all finally happens, right?

Vance believes that your performance and your songwriting are inseparably intertwined.In this revolutionary workshop your whole presentation - from adjusting the microphone, stage patter, eye contact, song arrangement, lyric tweak, and approach to the instrument - all will be reviewed, gently critiqued, and adjusted in real time by Vance in the supportive stage setting of other singer-songwriter students, one of who will be “next” to take the stage. It’s all entertaining and great fun (remember, this is Vance Gilbert offering this …)

It doesn’t matter your level - Vance has worked with everyone from rote beginners to David Wilcox. So why not come and give yourself and your music the gift of being heard at your best!! Show up with your instrument, a song you know needs a good looking' at to be stage ready, and let's get to work!

Workshop: 3:00 - 6:00 PM Cost: $25

RSVP Here 

The Music Emporium and C.F. Martin proudly welcome Laurence Juber for an evening of exceptional fingerstyle music. Laurence's playing spans several genres, and this evening he will discuss tone, technique & musicianship, along with undoubtedly wowing us with his own original pieces & arrangements of popular tunes.

Concert: 7:00 PM  

Free of charge, please RSVP as seating will be limited and reserved on a first-come, first-served basis.

WORKSHOP IS FULL. RSVP FOR WAITING LIST ONLY RSVP Here 

Bring in your Taylor guitar and we'll check it out, clean it up and throw on a new set of Elixir strings, all for free!  Limit one restring per customer. 

Event Time: 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM  

Free of charge

Join us for an intimate gathering to experience the musical craftsmanship of R. Taylor Guitars. Michael Lille from R. Taylor with share the shop's design philosophy, and personally guide you through the refined details that transform each guitar into a unique masterwork. Come play a sampling of models and discover why the R. Taylor line is unlike any other.

Event Time: 7:00 PM  

Free of charge, please RSVP as seating will be limited and reserved on a first-come, first-served basis.

RSVP Here 

Become a Better Fingerpicker! Grammy-Award winner, prolific author, and long-time Music Emporium guest instructor Mark Hanson will coach you on becoming a more proficient fingerpicker, no matter what technical level you are. 

Finally, Mark teaches two beautiful fingerstyle solo arrangements from his "Love Songs" CD: Clapton's "Wonderful Tonight" and "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy."

Lots of info from a long-time master!  Mark Hanson has authored over two dozen books and videos on acoustic guitar. He regularly presents concerts and master classes across the country, and has shared the stage with such luminaries as John Renbourn, Alex de Grassi, and the late Jerry Garcia.

Workshop: 8:30 - 10:30 AM Cost: $40

You can also attend both workshops for a discounted total of $70

RSVP Here 

Mark Hanson is the author of two Leo Kottke volumes and numerous other guitar books. Mark will teach three of Leo Kottke's vintage fingerstyle masterpieces: "Brain of the Purple Mountain", "Watermelon" and "Driving of the Year Nail" from 1969's classic 6- & 12-String Guitar album. Bring your guitar (6- or 12-string) in standard tuning.

Lots of info from a long-time master!  Mark Hanson has authored over two dozen books and videos on acoustic guitar. He regularly presents concerts and master classes across the country, and has shared the stage with such luminaries as John Renbourn, Alex de Grassi, and the late Jerry Garcia.

Workshop: 11:30 - 1:30 PM Cost: $40

You can also attend both workshops for a discounted total of $70 

RSVP Here 

Richard Hoover launched the Santa Cruz Guitar Company in 1976, and has never strayed from his original objective of using traditional luthiery methods in an intimate team setting. The idea of building his acoustic guitars by hand and working exclusively with independently owned guitar shops was a breakthrough idea at that time. He has traveled all over the world to procure responsibly harvested woods and is known internationally as a forefather of the boutique acoustic guitar industry. His workshops cover everything from internet myth busting acoustic science and engineering, tone woods, the cowboy way and hot sauce. Join him at The Music Emporium for an entertaining evening of all things acoustic, and learn how to design a custom guitar to fit your specific playing style, sound requirements and personal aesthetic values.

The event will be Thursday July 28th at 6:30pm.  Please RSVP as seating will be limited

RSVP Here 

Meet a Taylor Guitars factory expert for a personal guitar consultation!

Is there anything more inspiring than discovering a Taylor that sings in your hands? The good news: You have more guitar options than ever before. The bad news: You have more guitar options than ever before. Taylor's guitar experts can help.

On August 6th, Taylor's friendly factory experts will visit The Music Emporium for the sole purpose of helping you find the Taylor that's the right fit for you. They'll identify your player profile and tell you which guitar body shape and wood pairings best match your playing style. They'll answer any questions you have. And if you’re not sure where to begin, they'll help you understand the basics.

Event Time:  11:00 AM to 5:00 PM
this event is free of charge

The Music Emporium will host an evening with Japanese ukulele builder Yusuke Kawakami on Tuesday, Sept 20th.  Yusuke is the renowned builder of High River ukuleles that currently grace the Emporium showroom. In Japan, High River ukuleles are distributed by Yamaha, and marketed with the guitarist in mind. With a scale length that hovers between concert and tenor size, and a dreadnought design and appointments, these instruments are perfect for those who can't decide between the guitar and the ukulele. In addition to giving a small talk about his building process and taking questions from the audience, Yusuke will also be showing off his '45' style uke. 

The event will be Tuesday, September 20th at 7:30pm and is free of charge.  Please RSVP as seating will be limited

RSVP Here 

Back by popular demand, the Taylor Road Show returns to The Music Emporium. Come and meet some of the Taylor Factory Staff, test-drive new models, listen to cool and informative Taylor demos, and register to win Taylor Gear giveaways. There will be special deals on in-stock models as well as some unique one-off models. These events are hugely popular, seating is limited, so reserve your space today.

Please contact us to reserve your seat.

November 10th
7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Event is free
RSVP

As part of our “Meet your Maker” series, we are pleased to welcome master luthier and Martin historian, Jim Merrill, to The Music Emporium showroom. Jim’s encyclopedic knowledge of Martin guitars combined with a highly skilled hand has resulted in some of the most sought-after guitars in the industry. There are few luthiers today who have approached with greater accuracy the pre-War Martin build and sound.

Join us on December 2 @ 8PM for an evening of guitars, refreshments, and insightful discussion about Jim’s craft and the myths and misunderstandings surrounding vintage Martin guitars. We’ll also have on hand a half dozen Merrill guitars. If you’re familiar with Jim’s wait time, you’ll realize how amazing it is to have more than one of his guitars to handle, let alone 6. 

Seating will be limited so we encourage you to RSVP soon. We hope to see you on December 2nd for this very special night. 

Please contact us to reserve your seat.

December 2nd
8:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Event is free
RSVP

Jim will also be here in the shop during the day of Saturday, December 3rd.

Workshop: 8:30 AM 

THIS EVENT IS SOLD-OUT.