We are excited to announce the the 2014 ArtistWorks Classical Campus Video Exchange™ Scholarship Competition! Designed to help aspiring classical musicians further their education through the use of our online learning schools, we are giving away four $1,000 cash scholarships to students sudying the following instruments: Flute, Clarinet, Trumpet, and Violin. We will also give out a one-year subscription to the online school for each runner-up. 

Each applicant will get access to the ArtistWorks Online School associated with their instrument where the required repertoire is taught by our master teachers, Jeffrey Khaner (Flute), David Bilger (Trumpet), Nathan Cole (Violin) and Ricardo Morales (Clarinet).  Applicants get sixty days access to perfect the repertoire via online video lessons and direct Video Exchange™ feedback from their famous teacher.

Click here to apply for the ArtistWorks Classical Scholarship Competition, applications must be submitted by April 30th, 2014. 

As some of you may have noticed, we've added an 8-part interview that Darol recently recorded with young all-star fiddler Mike Barnett. Mike recorded his first fiddle album at age 14 and was playing shows with bluegrass legend Jesse McReynolds at age 15. He currently plays in a number of different groups including the David Grisman Quintet, The Deadly Gentlemen (with David Grisman's son Samson on bass), and also plays fiddle on Scott Law's new album and Tony Trischka's new album. Darol has known Mike for a long time, and having played in the David Grisman Quintet himself for years, the two had plenty to talk about. Find the interview in Music+ area in the "Special Guests" section.

…but wait, there's more! We also just uploaded a video of Darol Anger and Tim O'Brien playing a duo fiddle version of "The Crossing," and they also talk about the backstory behind the tune. Find this one also in the "Special Guests" area of Music+ under "Darol Talks with Tim O'Brien."

If you read our recent interview with Tony Trischka, you'll recall him talking about traveling to the Czech Republic and getting a new banjo from the esteemed banjo maker Zdeneck Rohm. Good news: we have just uploaded a 7-part series of videos that Tony recorded while he was there. It's a fascinating inside look into the banjo culture in the Czech Republic, which has a deep history and was greatly influenced by a concert Pete Seeger gave there in 1964.

These newly added videos show Tony in Zdeneck Rohm's workshop talking banjo, Tony talking with Lubos Malina of the Czech Bluegrass group Druhá Tráva - plus some beautiful banjo playing from Tony, Lubos, and Zdeneck. You can find all this in the Music+ area under "Special Guests" toward the bottom - don't miss it!

The new singing lessons from Jeannie Deva are now available! We've added 45 newly recorded vocal lessons that expand on Jeannie's proven vocal method and have also added new sections like Singing Harmony and more vocal exercises. Not a member? Be sure to fill out the form below to check out some all new sample singing lessons from the Online Vocal School with Jeannie Deva. 

Check out the new video from Darol Anger's new group E-and'a playing their song "Pogo Big (or pogo home)" from the new album.  Read more about the group here, and be sure to order the E-and'a album at Amazon!

Tony Trischka will be on the bill with The Seldom Scene on Sunday, March 9 in New York City at the Highline Ballroom. Playing with Tony will be his Great Big World group which includes Dominick Leslie (mandolin), John Mailander (fiddle), Andy Falco (guitar), and Pat Falco (bass). For tickets and information visit the Highline Ballroom website. 

Big news: there's going to be a new competition reality show to find the best street artist and Justin BUA is on board as the host! This is a huge honor and we're very excited that one of our artists will have their own primetime TV show. The full details about the show have yet to be announced so we will be sure to update you when we know more.  

The producers of the show are currently holding a nationwide casting call (US only), so this is a great opportunity to show your art to the world. To apply send an email to jerry@pitmancasting.com with the following info: name, contact info, photo of yourself - and also tell them a bit about your life and your art. They will select 10 finalists to compete on the show, which is set to begin recording this summer. The winner will recieve $100,000 in prize money! Visit www.justinbua.com for the latest updates and be sure to spread the word with your friends. 

We're excited to bring you Jeannie's new vocal lessons! We've also given the existing curriculum a big overhaul to help make site navigation more intuitive.  The previously existing lessons are still all available but have been slightly recategorized for simplicity.  We also added a ton of new material and added brand new sections of lessons including "Quick Fix Exercises" and "Harmony & Group Singing."

The first change you'll notice is the drop down LESSONS menu, it now only has two (2) options: VOCAL LESSONS and THEORY WORKSHOP.  You can access the entire curriculum through the VOCAL LESSONS option (click on THEORY WORKSHOP to access the ArtistWorks Music Theory Lessons). 

[Photo Credit Peter Hodgson of I Heart Guitar]

One of the benefits to being an ArtistWorks instructor is that you're connected to an elite roster of experts in their respective genres. While Paul Gilbert is the master when it comes to rock guitar, Jeannie Deva is the master when it comes to learning how to sing better. The two instructors met each other recently at NAMM and hit it off, so much so that Paul ended up scheduling a session with Jeannie. We caught up with Paul afterwards to see how it went:

ArtistWorks: What inspired you to seek out a vocal lesson?

Paul Gilbert: Jeannie and I did some jamming together at the NAMM show, and her singing was amazing. She is a master of her instrument, and also a great teacher… I have seen some of her ArtistWorks vocal lessons, and I wondered what kind of doors she could open for my own singing.

What kinds of new singing lessons will be online in Jeannie's vocal school very soon?

• NEW Singing Lessons - 15 new singing lessons on various types of harmony, singing duos, multiple singers, how to find your note in a group, dynamic balancing, pronunciation and rhythm, coordinating breathing and more.
• NEW "Quick Fix" Section - All new vocal exercises designed to reduce vocal strain, improve range, tone and vocal flexibility.
• NEW Practice Routines - Ten new practice routines with downloadable PDFs to help you get the most out of your practicing, and better determine what's next and when.
• NEW Hot Singing Topics - Overcoming Stage Fright, Singing the Blues, Song Phrasing & Timing, Vocal Limbering, How to use songs as warm-up's, Improving Breath Management, Improving Vocal Tone, Listening vs. Hearing, and much more.
• NEW Re-Organized Curriculum - For easier navigation, interaction and location to find what you're looking for.