Sep
27
Fri
Advanced Fiddle Technique @ Rydal Hall
Sep 27 – Sep 29 all-day
Advanced Fiddle Technique @ Rydal Hall | Grantham | United Kingdom

Advanced Fiddle Technique

27th – 29th September 2019
Rydal Hall, Ambleside LA22 9LX

Join Stewart in the beautiful surroundings of Rydal Hall in the Lake District, for a weekend of intensive fiddle tuition. This course is aimed at proficient players with good to high technical competence, who are comfortable with their instruments and their repertoire and who may have some of the following experience and skills:

  • – Playing folk tunes at dance tempo
  • – Comfortable in key signatures of up to 3 sharps and 1 flat
  • – Familiarity with key signatures of up to 4 sharps and 3 flats
  • – Attending folk music sessions and joining in with the tunes
  • – Leading sets of tunes in sessions
  • – Playing in ceilidh and/or concert bands
  • – Teaching violin and/or fiddle

The workshop will typically take between 8 and 12 people from Friday evening until Sunday afternoon. All tuition, resources, accommodation, food and daytime refreshments are included. Sheet music and mp3 files of the tunes covered are sent out in advance, and recordings of exercises from the course are sent on to you afterwards.

These courses are centred around the technical issues that come with playing fiddle music, with as much emphasis on the how as there is on the what. Focusing on left-hand and bowing technique, with stylistic interpretation of the music a key feature, these workshops delve deep into the tunes, extracting exercises to improve technique and allow its application to a wider repertoire. Tunes are carefully selected for their technical or stylistic content whilst also baring in mind practical considerations such as their usefulness in folk music sessions or as dance repertoire. The tunes are taught ‘as if by ear’, meaning they are taught phrase by phrase at a tempo and with sufficient repetition to enable learning without recourse to reading notation, but with notation available at any point should that be desired or necessary. This encourages the development of aural pattern recognition and general musicality, enhancing musicianship and the enjoyment of playing music in social settings.

Places on Advanced Fiddle Techniques courses are available on application. For further information or to express your interest in this course, please email Ali (jsarts@stewarthardy.co.uk)

Oct
25
Fri
Arrangement Techniques (Mixed Instruments) @ Ushaw College, Durham
Oct 25 – Oct 27 all-day
Arrangement Techniques (Mixed Instruments) @ Ushaw College, Durham | Grantham | United Kingdom

Arrangement Techniques (Mixed Instruments)

25th – 27th October 2019
Ushaw College, Durham

Join Stewart in the beautiful surroundings of Ushaw College in Durham for a weekend workshop exploring arrangement techniques for mixed instrument ensemble. Courses are open to players of any instrument (including transposing instruments) and are aimed at a broad range of abilities from intermediate to advanced. Workshops focus on techniques for arranging tunes for the combination of instruments to hand, using tools such as tempo, texture, dynamics and harmonic structure to create a musical narrative. To enjoy the full benefits of these courses, participants should be able to read notation or confidently and quickly pick up tunes and musical ideas by ear. We will do our best to help create viable groups by monitoring the instrumentation as participants sign up for the course.

The workshops typically take between 8 and 12 people from Friday evening until Sunday afternoon. The cost covers all food, tuition, daytime refreshments and overnight accommodation. Non-residential rates may be available – please enquire. Sheet music and mp3 files of the tunes covered are sent out in advance, and recordings of arrangements created during the course are sent on to you afterwards.

For further information or to book your place on this course, please email Ali (jsarts@stewarthardy.co.uk)

Nov
2
Sat
Geordie Music Night 2019 @ Seaton Sluice Community Centre
Nov 2 @ 7:30 pm
Geordie Music Night 2019 @ Seaton Sluice Community Centre

Geordie Music Night 2019
Saturday 2nd November
Seaton Sluice Community Centre NE26 4QX
7.30 pm (Doors 7.00 pm)
Featuring Jim Mageean, Stu Luckley, Stewart Hardy, George Welch, Barry & Ingrid Temple and Laura Connolly

£10 Adults. Please book tickets in advance.

Tickets available online via the shop
Tickets are also available to reserve by phone on 0191 298 0323  or  0191 237 1136.

Funds raised will support restoration of the Village Bell.

Nov
8
Fri
Fiddle Technique @ Rydal Hall
Nov 8 – Nov 10 all-day
Fiddle Technique @ Rydal Hall | Grantham | United Kingdom

Fiddle Technique

8th – 10th November 2019
Rydal Hall, Ambleside LA22 9LX

Join Stewart in the beautiful surroundings of Rydal Hall in the Lake District, for a weekend of intensive fiddle tuition. The workshop will typically take between 8 and 12 people from Friday evening until Sunday afternoon.This course can accommodate a broad range of experience and ability, ranging from competent beginner to upper intermediate, but is not suitable for absolute or early beginners. All tuition, resources, accommodation, food and daytime refreshments are included. Sheet music and mp3 files of the tunes covered are sent out in advance, and recordings of exercises from the course are sent on to you afterwards.

These courses are centred around the technical issues that come with playing fiddle music, with as much emphasis on the how as there is on the what. Focusing on left-hand and bowing technique, with stylistic interpretation of the music a key feature, these workshops delve deep into the tunes, extracting exercises to improve technique and allow its application to a wider repertoire. Tunes are carefully selected for their technical or stylistic content whilst also baring in mind practical considerations such as their usefulness in folk music sessions or as dance repertoire. The tunes are taught ‘as if by ear’, meaning they are taught phrase by phrase at a tempo and with sufficient repetition to enable learning without recourse to reading notation, but with notation available at any point should that be desired or necessary. This encourages the development of aural pattern recognition and general musicality, enhancing musicianship and the enjoyment of playing music in social settings.

For further information or to express your interest in this course, please email Ali (jsarts@stewarthardy.co.uk)

Standard Level courses are aimed at fiddle players with a broad range of experience and ability, from competent beginner to upper intermediate, but please note they are not suitable for absolute or early beginners. We would expect players to have most of the following skills:
  • – playing simple dance tunes at steady to mid tempo (e.g. reels and jigs at 50-80 beats per minute)
  • – able to clap in time to a tune
  • – have basic control of the bow on the string
  • – able to slur notes together
  • – comfortable in the keys of G,D and A major and familiar with their note names
  • – familiarity with C major
  • – able to play basic scales without notation
  • – able to play at least 2 tunes without notation
In addition fiddlers who attend these courses often have some of the following experience:
  • – attend other fiddle workshops
  • – play with a community folk music group
  • – join in folk music sessions
  • – receive tuition on the fiddle/violin
Dec
13
Fri
Holly & Ivy Roadshow – Jarrow @ Jarrow Hall
Dec 13 @ 5:30 pm
Holly & Ivy Roadshow - Jarrow @ Jarrow Hall

Holly & Ivy Roadshow
Friday 13th December
Jarrow Hall, Church Bank, Jarrow, South Tyneside, NE32 3DY
5.30 pm (until approx 6.30 pm)

Join David Oliver, Laura Connolly and Stewart Hardy for this lively, informal and participatory celebration of songs, stories, dances and customs associated with Midwinter, Christmas and the New Year.

Dec
15
Sun
Holly & Ivy Roadshow – London @ Cecil Sharp House
Dec 15 @ 7:30 pm
Holly & Ivy Roadshow - London @ Cecil Sharp House

Holly & Ivy Roadshow at the Festive Gathering 2019

 – Cecil Sharp House, London

Christmas concert with a folk twist.

This year special guests Holly & Ivy will bring their festive magic from the North East of England.  Performers Stewart Hardy, David Oliver and Laura Connolly will join Cecil Sharp House Choir on a lively and exciting journey through the midwinter customs and traditions of Britain. Join us for our annual yuletide celebration crammed with song, dance, music and good cheer.

Jan
6
Mon
George Welch & Stewart Hardy / Blyth @ Royal Northumberland Yacht Club Music Night
Jan 6 @ 7:30 pm
George Welch & Stewart Hardy / Blyth @ Royal Northumberland Yacht Club Music Night

George is a North East institution known for hilarious stories, driving tunes on guitar and moving songs in a fine baritone voice – the quintessential folk club entertainer! I am delighted to be joining him again, this time on board a floating Lightship! Join us at the Royal Northumberland Yacht Club Music Night in the South Harbour, Blyth.

Feb
1
Sat
George Welch & Stewart Hardy / Washington @ Davy Lamp Folk Club
Feb 1 @ 7:30 pm
George Welch & Stewart Hardy / Washington @ Davy Lamp Folk Club

George is a North East institution known for hilarious stories, driving tunes on guitar and moving songs in a fine baritone voice – the quintessential folk club entertainer! I am delighted to be joining him again as we return to the fantastic Davy Lamp Folk Club at Washington Arts Centre. See you there!

Feb
19
Wed
George Welch & Stewart Hardy / Cramlington @ Cramlington Folk Club
Feb 19 @ 7:30 pm
George Welch & Stewart Hardy / Cramlington @ Cramlington Folk Club

George and I will be returning to the fabulous Cramlington Folk Club again this year, on Weds 19th Feb. Join us for some more of George’s moving songs and hilarious stories. I’ll be doing my best to keep up!

 

 

Once you have heard George perform his songs, accompanied by his guitar playing with Stewart’s fiddle, there is no doubt that the success of this highly entertaining duo is built on solid musical foundations

Feb
21
Fri
Bottle Bank Band in Horsley @ The Hearth
Feb 21 @ 7:30 pm – 10:00 pm
Bottle Bank Band in Horsley @ The Hearth

Bottle Bank Band is delighted to be heading to The Hearth in Horsley, where the acoustics of the church are absolutely wonderful.

Tickets £12.50 / £7.50 (under 19s) from website.

The Hearth Cafe will be open for evening meals from 5.30pm, please book on 01661 853 563

 

Four exceptional musicians collaborate to create a new, exciting take on traditional fiddle music.

Bottle Bank Band brings together the fiddling talents of Sophy Ball, Chloe Jones, David Jones and Stewart Hardy. The glorious sound of these four fiddles, rich in harmony and captivating arrangements, is underpinned by an instinctive understanding of traditional playing, which gives voice and space to the musicality and talent of the individual players.

Their repertoire is firmly rooted in, but not limited to, the North East of England and its centuries’ old tradition of fiddle playing.  Individually the members of Bottle Bank Band have all established reputations as outstanding musicians, and by coming together in this combination they have created a new, exciting musical landscape.