Primary Instrument: Mandolin
August Watters is a multi-stylistic, improvising mandolinist, composer/arranger, and teacher in the Boston area. He has performed with some of the leading figures in today’s revival of this most elegant instrument, and the advancement of its musical traditions. His work as an interpreter, improviser, composer and arranger bridges contemporary classical music, jazz, folk music traditions, and the historical concert mandolin repertoire.
As an international clinician and soloist, Watters has performed in Italy, Germany, England, the Czech Republic, England, Canada, and the United States. He is also an Emmy award-winning arranger, with dozens of studio credits as arranger, orchestrator and conductor for television and film music. He is the founder of Boston Mandolins, the New England Mandolin Ensemble, and Cape Cod Mandolin Camp. Watters holds a Masters of Music Education from Boston University, and a Bachelor’s of Music from Berklee College, majoring in Jazz Composition and Arranging, summa cum laude.
Watters teaches at Berklee College of Music, where he earned his current rank of Associate Professor of Ear Training by developing and teaching new curricula designed for the needs of improvising string players. His New Acoustic Music Ensemble has trained successive generations of jazz-bluegrass improvisers since its inception in 2000. In addition, Watters has taught Berklee classes in harmony, composition, arranging, and performance, as well as private mandolin lessons.
Awards:
Emmy award, 1990, for work as a commercial arranger for The Monitor Channel. But that was a different life!Primary Instrument:
Mandolin
Willing to teach:
Advanced students only.
Credentials/Background:
Master of Music Education, Boston University
Bachelor of Music, Berklee College - major in Jazz Composition
Associate Professor of Ear Training
Berklee College of Music, Boston
1998-current
Clinic/Workshop Information:
As an international clinician I have taught improvisation workshops in six countries including Italy, Germany, the Czech Republic, England, Canada, and the US. Workshops are available for all instruments, or for mandolin groups. Topics span topics from improvisation and style, to repertoire. Please visit my website for more information.
