The 2003 Seminar is now history. Fingerstyle greats Guy Van Duser and Duck Baker joined Mark Hanson for a week of teaching, jamming, sharing, laughing, and general good times with a great group of fingerpickers from around the world (farthest traveler came from the U.K.). The experience level among the attendees ranged from advanced-beginners to pretty high level. Doug Smith gave a wonderful performance on Tuesday evening, and reigning national fingerpicking champion John Standefer demonstrated his scintillating licks on Saturday morning. Muriel Anderson dropped by Friday morning to perform and teach a workshop.

Guy, Duck, and Mark stuck around after each evening's formal activities for hours of jamming and tune sharing, providing inspiration and fun for all. The end-of-the-week public concert at the Old Church in downtown Portland was well attended by an enthusiastic crowd. Mark opened with several fingerstyle solos, and then was joined by his wife, vocalist Greta Pedersen for "The Water Is Wide" and "You Don't Know Me." Duck Baker followed Mark and Greta onstage in the first set. Duck got so wound up in his final tune - an original gospel instrumental - that the crowd gave him a standing ovation, before intermission!

After intermission, the remarkable Guy Van Duser entertained the crowd with his warm, relaxed stage presence, incredible knowledge of swing-era music, and fabulous licks. He blew people away with his lightning-fast version of "Avalon", and dropped jaws with his legendary arrangement of Sousa's "Stars & Stripes Forever." The concert ended with the three guitarists onstage trading licks on trio versions of "Topsy", "Sweet Georgia Brown", and "Bye Bye Blues." The ensuing standing ovations were well deserved!

Mark Hanson