TEACHING
I teach private lessons on mandolin and mandola, in person (in Marin County, CA) and over Zoom, a well as group classes and workshops, online at Peghead Nation, and at many music camps. Details on upcoming workshops, camps and class offerings are below, or drop me a line for more info at mfibish@gmail.com.
A bit about my approach to teaching, and how I get beginners started:
I believe the first job on this instrument is to develop the physical motion of the picking hand to create the pulse of Irish music in its various meters, starting with even meters -- reels, barndances, hornpipes, etc. We do exercises that develop this motion so that, over time, it becomes automatic, and continues to solidify as we add fingering.
I use MP3 files as our primary sources - first of exercises, then adding simple tunes. For those who have experience in reading music notation, and for those who wish to develop that skill, I will make reference to how what we are doing relates to what one would see in notation, but notation will not be our primary source.
I ensure everyone has good basic positioning on the instrument to facilitate your playing and protect your bodies.
You can see really well on Zoom!
And everything we do is centered around furthering your understanding of and love for the dance music of Ireland!
Classes:
Group classes are a fantastic way to learn more tunes and grow confidence, while developing a group of compatriots who know the same tunes you do! We cluster tunes into sets so that you'll have some ready to go when someone invites you to start a tune at a session. We work on developing skills as well as learning tunes - we do exercises together to develop a strong rhythmic picking hand, as well as to develop fingering hand patternings and fretboard knowledge.
Zoom Classes!
Though I have taught 1:1 over the web for years, it is only since the pandemic that I've held online classes. To my surprise I've learned that, though it's different and has it drawbacks, it also has a few distinct advantages -- participants really enjoy having the privacy to work on phrases or techniques during class without anyone hearing them, and you never have trouble hearing yourself because the person next to you is too loud! You also get plenty of practice time while others are playing for me, and the chance to hear your classmates individually has proved helpful and enlightening in surprising ways!
FALL 2026 CLASS SCHEDULE (see below for descriptions of levels)
ADVANCED BEGINNER:
Class CRENSHAW - Wednesdays 12:00PM - 1:15PM Pacific Time
Class Dates: September 23, October 7 & 21, November 4 & 18, December 2
INTERMEDIATE: (two sections)
Class PINEAPPLE - Mondays 11:00AM - 12:15PM Pacific Time
Class Dates: September 28, October 12 & 26, November 9 & 23, December 7
Class PERSIMMON - Tuesdays 11:00AM - 12:15PM Pacific Time
Class Dates: October 6 & 20, November 3 & 17, December 1 & 15
ADV. INTERMEDIATE / ADVANCED (four sections):
Class PAPAYA - Mondays 5:00-6:15PM Pacific Time
Class Dates: September 28, October 12 & 26, November 9 & 23, December 7
Class LARKSPUR - Wednesdays 4:00-5:15PM Pacific Time
Class Dates: September 23, October 7 & 21, November 4 & 18, December 2
Class KIWI - Tuesdays 12:30 - 1:45PM Pacific Time
Class Dates: September 29, October 13 & 27, November 10 & 24, December 8
Class AVOCADO - Thursdays 12:30 - 1:45PM Pacific Time
Class Dates: September 24, October 8 & 22, November 5 & 19, December 3
Here's how I am structuring this round of classes:
Each series is comprised of 6 classes
Classes meet every other week at the designated day and time
Classes are 75 minutes long
Classes are grouped by level, and limited to 8 participants
Recordings and transcriptions of tunes are provided well in advance of class meetings
All classes are recorded, so you can view the video if you miss a class
$190 per series
My general expectation is that each participant will spend time getting the basics of the tune(s) prior to our class meetings. During our precious class time we'll unravel any mysteries of the tunes, diagnose trouble spots, play the tune together and explore some ornamentation and variations that might suit the tunes. Everyone will have the opportunity to play the tune for me and the group if you'd like to get my feedback and suggestions. No one will be put on the spot if that's uncomfortable for you.
SATELLITE OPTION: If none of these class times suit your schedule, or if the one that does is full, I offer another way to participate. I pair you up with a class and provide you access to the class materials and to the recordings of each class session. You work independently, and we schedule two 45-minute private lessons over the course of the series. The price is the same.
TUNESDAYS!
Tuesdays 12:30-1:45PM Pacific Time Class Dates: October 6 & 20, November 3 & 17, December 1 & 15
I'm going to be doing Tunesdays a bit differently this time around. Each Tunesday we'll dig deeper into one of the tunes we're working on in my advanced classes. We'll listen to a few choice recordings of it and talk about what we hear - pulse and lift, placement of ornaments, variations, chordal framework, etc. We'll work on and practice ideas for ornamentation, variation and phrasing -- some from the recordings, some from my own style of playing. The emphasis will be on incorporating these techniques into your mandolin playing. Price for the series of 6 Tunesdays is $190.
It is not required to also be taking one of my advanced classes.
Descriptions of class levels:
Beginner / Advanced Beginner
This class focuses on the basics of getting started on the mandolin, laying the foundation for learning to play Irish music on the instrument (techniques learned would also apply to interest in other trad forms -- Old Time, European, etc., but not bluegrass or classical music). Emphasis is placed on exercises that develop fretting hand placement, dexterity and pattern recognition, while building on a solid rhythmic picking hand technique, and (of course!) learning tunes.
Intermediate
This class focuses on building basic technique for playing Irish music on the mandolin. We continue to work with exercises to get both right and left hand working for playing tunes. Participants will learn 6-8 tunes in the course of the series. Tunes are learned in sets to facilitate session playing. Recordings and transcriptions of the tunes are made available ahead of the class meetings.
Advanced Intermediate / Advanced
This class focuses on Irish tune repertoire building while expanding mandolin technique to add ornamentation and variation to your tunes, with focus on phrasing and musicality. Participants will learn 6-8 tunes in the course of the series. Tunes are learned in sets to facilitate session playing. Recordings and transcriptions of the tunes are made available ahead of the class meetings.
Weekend Intensive Workshops
Weekend Intensives are a great opportunity for remote students to get in-person instruction in the company of a small group of players looking to take their playing to the next level, and have some fun in the process!
Each Intensive Includes:
* 9 group classes (75-90 minutes each) over two and a half days (Schedules vary)
* A 30-minute private lesson for each participant
* Lunch on Saturday & Sunday, coffee, tea and snacks are included
Classes focus on understanding and developing techniques for playing the many forms of Irish dance music on the mandolin - jigs, reels, slip jigs, hop jigs, polkas, slides, hornpipes, marches, waltzes and barn dances. Recordings of tunes are provided well in advance so that we can focus on advanced techniques rather than on tune-learning.
Develop the necessary skills for playing Irish music on the mandolin...
We work on both picking and fingering hand techniques to express the distinctive rhythmic forms, deliver the pulse of the music, and improve tone production and sustain on our instruments. We'll highlight the unique things that the mandolin brings to the music.
Explore phrasing, ornamentation and variation...
We focus on musicality, how to give life and lift to the tunes you learn, how to dig deeper into them to find their essence, and tell their stories with your instrument!
Enrollment is limited to 9 participants - intermediate level and above. Email me (mfibish@gmail.com) for more info, or to sign up!
2026 Camps and Workshops — please see events page for details
We're still in hybrid mode -- a combination of in-person and virtual events. Many folks are finding virtual immersion experiences can still be highly gratifying, and make workshops accessible when they may not have been before due to schedules and the difficulty and expense of travel! Each workshop or camp is always a completely different musical experience - each wonderful in different ways. There is nothing like immersion in a music camp environment to really get you fired up about your music! Please check out my events page for more info about each camp and workshop. Feel free to reach out if you want to discuss...and sign up early!
virtual lark — february 20-22
fiddle hell online — april 9-12
irish mandolin gathering — june 22-25
california coast music camp — july 11-17
lark camp — july 31 - august 8
puget sound guitar workshop — august 15-21
portal irish music week — september 16-21
redwood music camp — october 16-18
southwest mandolin camp — october 28 - november 1
augusta irish retreat — november 12-15
