Stewart Hardy

Arrangement Techniques (Mixed Instruments)

28th Feb – 1st Mar 2020
Ushaw College, Durham
3.00 pm start & finish time.

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 aim to create well-mixed 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 residential weekend fee of £335 covers all food, tuition, daytime refreshments and overnight single occupancy, en suite accommodation. The non-residential rate is £250 and includes everything except bed & breakfast. 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)

“Jimmy’s Fiddle” launches a new mini-tour at the wonderful Coquetdale Music Trust, in Thropton, near Rothbury.

Tickets £10 available from Tully’s in Rothbury
or email  lesleyhallcoquetdalemusictrust@mail.com

Join us for a night of music, dance, songs and humour as we delve in to a story of Georgian/Victorian Tyneside through the eyes of James Hill, “The Geordie Paganini”.

James Hill was probably the most famous fiddler on Tyneside during the late Georgian and early Victorian period. He wrote more than 40 tunes, mainly for hornpipes, inspired and informed by the places and characters he came to know.

This story is a reflective account of his life, told through ‘Jimmy’s ghost’ and set in and around The Hawk public house, which was owned by his future father-in-law. The narrative unfolds to a back-drop of James Hill’s own compositions, clog dancing and songs from the time, incorporating some newly commissioned pieces.

Featuring two top virtuoso fiddle players Tom McConville (BBC Musician of the Year) and Stewart Hardy, this show provides fantastic entertainment for all the family. Tom and Stewart will be joined by two of the North East’s finest singers Alan Fitzsimmons and Jim Mageean and clog dancing champion Natalie Reid.

“Jimmy’s Fiddle” heads to the Davy Lamp Folk Club in Washington.

Join us for a night of music, dance, songs and humour as we delve in to a story of Georgian/Victorian Tyneside through the eyes of James Hill, “The Geordie Paganini”.

James Hill was probably the most famous fiddler on Tyneside during the late Georgian and early Victorian period. He wrote more than 40 tunes, mainly for hornpipes, inspired and informed by the places and characters he came to know.

This story is a reflective account of his life, told through ‘Jimmy’s ghost’ and set in and around The Hawk public house, which was owned by his future father-in-law. The narrative unfolds to a back-drop of James Hill’s own compositions, clog dancing and songs from the time, incorporating some newly commissioned pieces.

Featuring two top virtuoso fiddle players Tom McConville (BBC Musician of the Year) and Stewart Hardy, this show provides fantastic entertainment for all the family. Tom and Stewart will be joined by two of the North East’s finest singers Alan Fitzsimmons and Jim Mageean and clog dancing champion Natalie Reid.

Tyneside Fiddle Alliance will be in St George’s Church, Jesmond on Saturday 14th March for a celebration of traditional music from Northumberland and beyond. They are delighted to be sharing the concert with The Northumbrian Ranters, a fantastic group of young musicians who meet regularly to rehearse in Morpeth. The evening promises to be full of energy with a variety of traditional tunes from both groups.

All tickets £5. Doors open 6.30 pm.

Tickets will be available on the door, or in advance online.
Reservations can be made via the Contact Form, email or the TFA Facebook page.

October Workshops
Fiddle Workshop 2

This workshop will provide a warm-up, technical session and will teach a tune which illustrates the use of the technique explored. Aimed at intermediate to advanced level fiddle players. Full worksheets will be provided, with the tune, bowing and ornamentation, along with audio files of the tune, in advance. A recording of the live call will be available for those who experience technical difficulties, or who find themselves unable to attend the live Zoom call.

Zoom Workshop
Saturday 3rd October: 14:00 – 16:00

For full details, please see the October Workshops page.
A single workshop is £20, attend two for £35 or all three for £50.

Email Ali to book your place.

If you haven’t attended a music workshop on Zoom before, here is a page of Zoom Workshop Tips to get the most out of your experience. A strong and reliable internet connection, plus headphones or an external speaker are recommended.

Arrangement Techniques (Mixed Instruments)

9th – 11th October 2020
Parcevall Hall, Appletreewick, Skipton, N. Yorks BD23 6DG
5.00 pm start & finish time.

Join Stewart in the beautiful surroundings of Parcevall Hall near Skipton for a weekend workshop exploring arrangement techniques for mixed instrument ensembles. 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 aim to create well-mixed 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 residential weekend fee of £335 covers all food, tuition, daytime refreshments and two nights single occupancy accommodation, some of which is en suite (for medical reasons, then first come first served). The non-residential rate is £250 and includes everything except bed & breakfast. 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)

December Workshops
Fiddle Workshop 2

This workshop will provide a warm-up, technical session and will teach a tune which illustrates the use of the technique explored. Aimed at intermediate to advanced level fiddle players. Full worksheets will be provided, with the tune, bowing and ornamentation, along with audio files of the tune, in advance. A recording of the live call will be available for those who experience technical difficulties, or who find themselves unable to attend the live Zoom call.

Zoom Workshop
Saturday 5th December: 14:00 – 16:00

For full details, please see the December Workshops page.
A single workshop is £20, attend two for £35 or all three for £50.

Book your place by purchasing through the Shop.

If you haven’t attended a music workshop on Zoom before, here is a page of Zoom Workshop Tips to get the most out of your experience. A strong and reliable internet connection, plus headphones or an external speaker are recommended.

January 2021  Workshops
Fiddle Workshop 2

This workshop will provide a warm-up, technical session and will teach a tune which illustrates the use of the technique explored. Aimed at intermediate to advanced level fiddle players. Full worksheets will be provided, with the tune, bowing and ornamentation, along with audio files of the tune, in advance. A recording of the live call will be available for those who experience technical difficulties, or who find themselves unable to attend the live Zoom call.

Zoom Workshop
Saturday 30th January: 14:00 – 16:00

For full details, please see the January Workshops page.
A single workshop is £20, attend two for £35 or all three for £50.

Book your place by purchasing through the Shop.

If you haven’t attended a music workshop on Zoom before, here is a page of Zoom Workshop Tips to get the most out of your experience. A strong and reliable internet connection, plus headphones or an external speaker are recommended.

March 2021  Workshops
Fiddle Workshop 2

The Barrowburn  (A. Harper)

A stonking reel in D major that lends itself well to the Georgia Shuffle bowing pattern. It has also been selected as a great introduction to playing chords on the fiddle – the shapes to use and some effective rhythms to apply. Aimed at intermediate to advanced level fiddle players. Full worksheets will be provided, with the tune, bowing and ornamentation, along with audio files of the tune, in advance. A recording of the live call will be available for those who experience technical difficulties, or who find themselves unable to attend the live Zoom call.

Zoom Workshop
Saturday 27th March: 14:00 – 16:00

For full details, please see the March Workshops page.
A single workshop is £20, attend two for £35 or all three for £50.

Book your place by purchasing through the Shop.

If you haven’t attended a music workshop on Zoom before, here is a page of Zoom Workshop Tips to get the most out of your experience. A strong and reliable internet connection, plus headphones or an external speaker are recommended.

May Workshops 2021
Fiddle Workshop 2

Zoom Workshop
Saturday 27th March: 14:00 – 16:00
Intermediate to Advanced level

Saint Cuthbert Crossing the Rhine (Chris Ormston)

In this afternoon workshop we’ll look at a personal favourite from one of North East England’s finest tunesmith’s, the legendary piper Chris Ormston. Saint Cuthbert Crossing the Rhine is a terrific, punchy Northumbrian rant containing some wonderful hidden syncopation.

A single workshop is £20, attend two for £35 or all three for £50.
Bookings open now

If you haven’t attended a music workshop on Zoom before, here is a page of Zoom Workshop Tips to get the most out of your experience. A strong and reliable internet connection, plus headphones or an external speaker are recommended.