Peter Somerville Banjo Academy

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Peter is a highly regarded 5-string banjo player in Melbourne, Victoria. He has played and extensively recorded bluegrass, clawhammer and Celtic banjo in the bands , The Blue Mountain String Band, The Rank Strangers, The Somervilles and Uncle Bill, of which he was a founding member, and whose collaborative Smoke album, with Paul Kelly, was released to wide acclaim in 1999. Peter has performed at major festivals both nationally and internationally, including Port Fairy, Tamworth, and the I.B.M.A in Kentucky; he has also done two extended tours playing in Japan. Peter currently plays in Mr Alford Country, South backwater bluegrass band and his own band, The Burning Bridges. At this point in his career he’s played on some forty to fifty recordings. Peter also plays dobro, guitar and fiddle but banjo remains his number one passion. In 2011 he compiled a book of his own arrangements, with CD: ‘Celtic and Australian tunes for Five String Banjo’. His current weapon of choice is a Deering Maple Blossom arch top. Peter teaches from his studios in Thornbury and Blackburn.

Peter is an accomplished teacher with over 30 years of teaching experience. He has created his own teaching materials, including tablature arrangements for absolute beginners through to advanced levels and an accompanying CD, and is expert at tailoring the teaching to the needs and requirements of the individual student. He regularly runs popular workshops and group classes at banjo camps and bluegrass/ old-timey music festivals, and offers one-on-one lessons in bluegrass, clawhammer and Celtic style 5-string banjo at his studios 54 Collins st Thornbury and also on Thursdays at 50A Junction Rd Blackburn, Melbourne. He charges $65an hour lesson and $35 for half an hour. Students come weekly, fortnightly or less often, depending what works best for the individual. Students need their own banjo for practicing. He has excellent new student banjos for sale and often second ones. He carries out some repairs and set ups to get the best out of every banjo and can offer advice about banjo brands. He also has strings, tuners and picks for sale.