We are absolutely ecstatic to announce that our newest course, “Clawhammer Banjo with Allison de Groot,” is officially here! As of 9 am PT, the course is officially live and open to all students.

On clawhammer banjo, Allison de Groot has become a significant voice in the North American traditional, Americana, and roots music scenes. Her style is adventurous and grounded, and No Depression writes it “transports the listener to a different plane”. Starting out on banjo in her hometown of Winnipeg, MB, Allison’s grown into a career of exciting collaborations and continued musical exploration. She has performed and recorded alongside some of the most renowned traditional musicians in North America and Europe and was nominated by the Americana Music Association for 2023 ‘Instrumentalist of the Year’.

Collaboration is at the center of Allison's music. Her duo with fiddler Tatiana Hargreaves has been described by Bandcamp Daily as “one living, breathing organism”. Allison and Tatiana create a sound that is adventurous, masterful, and original. They expand on the eccentricities of old songs, while never losing sight of what makes them endure. Their latest release ‘Hurricane Clarice’ won two Canadian Folk Music Awards and was nominated for ‘Traditional Album of the Year’ at the Juno Awards.

Alongside bandmates Tatiana Hargreaves, percussive dancer Nic Gareiss, and legendary fiddler Bruce Molsky, Allison has performed at festivals such as Newport Folk Festival, Pickathon, Red Wing Roots, Winnipeg Folk Festival, Hardly Strictly and Celtic Connections. For a second year in a row, Allison and Tatiana are working in the Celtic Connections Transatlantic Sessions house band led by Jerry Douglas.

Through her online clawhammer banjo lessons at ArtistWorks, you’ll learn the ins and outs of Allison’s distinct approach to the instrument and the intricate methods that define her one-of-a-kind sound and style. Allison has drawn from her extensive knowledge as a professional banjoist and seasoned educator to create a comprehensive course of clawhammer banjo lessons online designed to teach players everything they need to know to become a masterful clawhammer banjoist and well-rounded musician.

So, whether you're starting from scratch or you’re an experienced player looking to break new ground, learn with Allison and get an intimate look into her unique approach and style. Grow as a banjo player while simultaneously furthering yourself as a musician, and get direct guidance from Allison at every step of your musical journey. 

SIGN UP NOW to gain access to Allison’s library of online clawhammer banjo lessons, as well as our patented Video Exchange Learning® platform. Allison reviews each submission and records a video response, offering specific guidance to take your playing to the next level.

ABOUT ARTISTWORKS:

ArtistWorks online music lessons are recorded and taught by more than 40 world-renowned master musicians who not only have rich musical legacies but also have a deep passion for teaching and sharing their knowledge. 

Through the ArtistWorks platform, students have the unique opportunity to both learn at their own pace and also interact with and receive feedback from our faculty of master teachers in the form of Video Exchanges. ArtistWorks' patented Video Exchange Learning® platform allows students to submit questions to our master faculty in the form of a video, and our instructors then create personal video responses full of guidance, encouragement, and critical next steps to facilitate improvement. 

Our teachers also provide notation, tablature, backing tracks, and other amazing supplemental materials to round out their holistic curricula in each course. Students can learn anything from acoustic and electric guitar to banjo, piano, mandolin, fiddle, saxophone, ukulele, how to sing—just about any instrument you can think of. And, our esteemed faculty can teach you how to play everything from bluegrass to jazz to rock to blues to classical and beyond.

Sample some free music lessons here and see what makes ArtistWorks courses some of the best online music lessons around!