Graham Dixon continues to be a great ambassador for the fiddle music of North East England. His books on Robert Whinham and James Hill are among my favourites and I would recommend them to anybody. He is also a lovely, lovely man. So when he asked me to play some of James Hill’s tunes to…
30 Years Collection
Exciting news! This book of original compositions is now out of my control and with the printers. Thirty years of life as a professional folk musician portrayed in melody… as well as the occasional harmony! Huge thanks to Amanda Jayne White (www.mandascat.com) for her original artwork for the cover, and to Rob Say for putting the…
2019 Tour Dates with Frank
Frank and I are delighted to be going on another tour at the end of May and beginning of June and are pleased to announce the first dates at some of our favourite venues. There are still some gaps to be filled, so if you know of a venue that would be interested in having…
Music for a Spring Evening
Looking forward to something a little different on 15th March. I’ll be joining Alan Edwards and Bryan Jackson as we take a stroll with our fiddles through a range of musical landscapes, from light classics to folk and swing. The concert is in the wonderful community of Embleton and will raise money for hall funds….
The Gift – Review
We were delighted to receive a fabulous review of The Gift in the latest editions of The Living Tradition. The review is written by John O’Regan of ARC Music who is based in Limerick. two musical minds entwined creatively, each gifting the other with their presence and personality, producing music that’s at once emotional, beautiful and…
NEFS Celebrates its First Birthday!
North East Fiddle School has now completed a whole year and 10th January 2019 is our first birthday! And what a wonderful year it has been. The support from the participants has been outstanding – their commitment and good will are vital to the success of the project. We’ve also benefited from the work of some…
The Lads Like Beer
I am delighted to announce that the foremost authority on James Hill, Tyneside’s fiddling hero, has given me permission to stock his wonderful book and accompanying CD. So, Graham Dixon’s The Lads Like Beer is now for sale in the shop! Many of the tunes performed in Jimmy’s Fiddle can be found in this book, along with…
JSArts Announcement
Big changes are coming into effect at JSArts; after more than twenty-five years of running workshops, Jo and Jimmy have finally decided that from the end of June 2019, the time has come to step back and hand over the reins to someone else. The name is staying the same whilst the running of JSArts…
Jimmy’s Fiddle
What a great night was had by all at the seaside in Cullercoats last week! It was the first performance of Jimmy’s Fiddle, a wonderful show by Tom McConville and Alan Fitzsimmons all about the life and music of James Hill. There were fiddle tunes, songs and some fabulous clog dancing. Congratulations to fellow cast members Tom…
Folkest with Frank McLaughlin
Frank & I had a fab time playing at Folkest in northern Italy earlier this summer, where we were joined (and frankly upstaged) by Frank’s two sons, Euan and Lewis, for a couple of sets of tunes. The boys also wowed audiences with their own duo performances. Frank was able to bask in a father’s reflected…
Recordings
-
Upcoming Events
Dec13Fri5:30 pm Holly & Ivy Roadshow – Jarrow @ Jarrow HallHolly & Ivy Roadshow – Jarrow @ Jarrow HallDec 13 @ 5:30 pm
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...Dec15Sun7:30 pm Holly & Ivy Roadshow – London @ Cecil Sharp HouseHolly & Ivy Roadshow – London @ Cecil Sharp HouseDec 15 @ 7:30 pm
Holly & Ivy Roadshow at the Festive Gathering 2019 Sunday 15 December, 7:00pm – 9:00pm Cecil Sharp House, London Christmas concert with a folk twist. This year special guests Holly & Ivy will bring their festive magic...Feb28Friall-day Arrangement Techniques (Mixed In... @ Ushaw College, DurhamArrangement Techniques (Mixed In... @ Ushaw College, DurhamFeb 28 – Mar 1 all-day
Arrangement Techniques (Mixed Instruments) 28th Feb – 1st Mar 2020 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...Mar20Friall-day Fiddle Technique @ Rydal HallFiddle Technique @ Rydal HallMar 20 – Mar 22 all-dayFiddle Technique 20th – 22nd March 2020 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... Facebook Feed
Beautiful start to day two of the Fiddle Technique course here at Rydal Hall. A lovely group of people and lots of techniques, tips and tunes to come 😊
RANT played a fabulous concert on Thursday - beautiful tunes and captivating arrangements. Such a treat to see them live - do go if you can, and also buy the album! 🎻
www.rantfiddles.com/'Rosemarkie Man' - RANT
The brand new RANT album 'The Portage' is out now! Recorded in Mackintosh Queen's Cross Church, Glasgow.
► Official Store: rantfiddles.bandcamp.com/
► Amazon:
...Classes start back at NEFS on Weds! Spaces available - get in touch quickly 😄
🎵 We start back for our next block of 5 weeks at NEFS on Wednesday. There are a couple of places left in both ability levels, so do get in touch if you would like join us in Gosforth 🎻
Level 2 ...