Our Mission
The Providence Mandolin Orchestra is a group of amateur and professional musicians united by the love of performing a unique style of music. We are committed to carrying on the rich tradition of the American mandolin orchestra while actively promoting original, new pieces. We welcome new members and take pride in introducing audiences to our unique sound and instruments. We strive to enrich our community with our cultural presence and have become a major contributor in the international field of plucked string music The PMO is directed by Mark Davis.
Our Annual Season
Our annual season begins in early September and runs through late May or early June. We rehearse weekly throughout the season except for holidays and other occasional breaks. Rehearsals are held at the Studio One Rhode Island Dance Complex, 85 Industrial Circle Suite 4102, Lincoln RI 02865, on Tuesday nights from 7:30 to 9:30 PM.
Each season the PMO gives several concert performances. Our performances are open to the public unless otherwise indicated. We are also available for performances and instrument demonstrations at elementary and secondary schools. Members of the PMO are experienced educators. A school performance or demonstration can feature a large or small ensemble. If you are interested in booking the Orchestra for a concert or school performance/demonstration, please contact Mark Davis.
New Members
Interested in joining the PMO? You are invited to observe or sit in at one of our rehearsals. Regular membership in the orchestra is by audition. Please note that annual dues are charged for regular membership. If you wish to observe or sit in, to audition, or have other questions about the PMO, please contact Mark Davis.
Our History
The original Providence Mandolin Orchestra (PMO) was founded by William Place, Jr. in 1911. A student of the legendary Giuseppe Pettine, Place was one of the most important mandolin players in the United States during the instrument’s “Golden Age” of the early twentieth century..
The repertoire of the original PMO consisted of the popular mandolin works of the day but also ambitious new works. For example, the original PMO gave the world premiere of Place’s “Plectral Suite, Op. 11, No. 1” at the Talma Theatre, in Providence RI, on June 4, 1913, allegedly the first original “symphony” for mandolin orchestra. A repeat performance of Place’s suite was given at the Fourteenth Annual Concert of the American Guild of Banjoists, Mandolinists, and Guitarists, in Providence RI, May 21, 1915. The original PMO appears to have gone dormant shortly after World War One.
The next phase in the PMO saga involves Hibbard Perry, a student of Pettine’s and Place’s. In the late 1920s Perry opened a music studio in Providence. Soon after, Perry founded the Providence Plectral Society (PPS). Under the auspices of the PPS, Perry regularly put on concerts in the Providence area featuring different mixed ensembles, one of which was a mandolin orchestra. Interestingly, surviving PPS programs never refer to this group as the “Providence Mandolin Orchestra” — just “Mandolin Orchestra”. However, Perry also took his students to several American Guild conventions in the 1930s, at which they participated in (and occasionally won) performance contests. The rules for the mandolin orchestra contest required that Perry’s group have a name, for which purpose he called it the “Providence Mandolin Orchestra” (see this judge’s scorecard from the 1939 contest). The PPS lasted until 1942 when Perry disbanded the organization due to World War Two.
The modern version of the PMO dates from the early 1970s, when Perry once again decided to form an ensemble, drawing on his students, as he did in the 1930s. One of these was Mark Davis, who began taking lessons with Perry in 1973. After a period of rehearsal and repertoire development, the modern PMO began performing regularly in public under Perry’s direction in 1976. Perry retired in 1989, and Mark Davis succeeded him as music director.
Under Davis’s direction, the modern PMO has emerged as one of the leading American mandolin ensembles, with regular performances in the eastern United States and western Europe on its own, as well as collaborative appearances with other ensembles in the United States and Europe. In recent years, these collaborations have included concerts with the New York Mandolin Ensemble, Het Consort (Netherlands), Ensemble a Plectre de Toulouse (France), JZO-NRW (Germany), Orchestra of the International Mandolin Academy (Italy), and the Saarländisches Zupforchester (Germany). As of the most recent completed season (2018-19) Davis has conducted 150+ performances by the PMO since beginning his tenure in 1989. The modern PMO has made several recordings; the most recent is “Spectrum” (2006).
Our Repertoire
The modern PMO is dedicated to the performance of original works for mandolin and guitar ensemble, including numerous pieces written for the group. Our repertoire page gives a comprehensive listing of works premiered by the PMO, the majority of which were originally written for the group; as well as modern works written for other ensembles that have been performed by the PMO.
Our Instruments
The PMO is divided into six sections: first mandolin, second mandolin, mandola (CGDA and GDAE), mandocello, classical guitar, and string bass. The majority of the mandolin-family instruments are American-style (carved or flat back), ranging in age from the early twentieth century (e.g. Gibson, Vega) to contemporary.
Social Media
The PMO has an active presence on social media. We can be found on Facebook, ReverbNation, and YouTube: