Stewart Hardy

Stewart Hardy is an internationally-acclaimed performer, composer and teacher with numerous recordings and broadcast credits to his name. Based in the North East of England, a love for the traditional music of Northumberland and Scotland shines through his repertoire and influences his own compositions. Stewart’s teaching is diverse, and has covered many projects from international workshops to the Newcastle University folk degree course. He spent six years as an influential member of the very popular John Wright Band and has toured throughout the world playing traditional folk, pop, rock, jazz, country and western swing music.

JSArts Advanced Fiddle Course
10th – 12th Sept, 2021

Now this is something a bit special! Our second in-person JSArts course since restrictions lifted sufficiently to allow us to run, but our first in the gorgeous venue, Shepherds Dene, in the heart of Northumberland. The material will include a couple of tunes to challenge your technique, tax your brain and torture your fingers as well as a whole batch of beautiful melodies where the emphasis will be stylistic interpretation. Evenings will offer an opportunity to play tunes together in a session, something which has been sorely missed. As these workshops are aimed at more experienced players, you’ll need to be comfortable playing at dance speeds and able to cope with a faster tempo of tuition than would be provided on the standard technique courses. If that is you and you are interested, you can read more on the JSArts page and apply for a place.

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“Beautifully and stylishly played, good technique serves the music, never being used for mere flash.”

Tom Bell-Richards, reviewing Hawthorn’s Sweeter Shade in Fiddle On.

“Hardy has built up an enviable international reputation for his fiddle playing, venturing easily across genre boundaries… Whether drawing from the Scottish and Irish piping repertoire, from Tyneside’s rich heritage of tunes, or forging their own compositions from these traditions, Hardy and McLaughlin show themselves to be players of immense empathy and spirit.”

Oz Hardwick, reviewing Root 2 in R2.

“Hardy’s fiddling is technically nigh perfect, and his solo performance is enough to hold the attention for over an hour on this CD”

Alex Monaghan, reviewing Hawthorn’s Sweeter Shade in Living Tradition.

“Hardy brings a terrific range of colourful expression to his playing, from the gentle, poignant lilt of his slow airs, through the slippery hornpipe bowing that lights up The Locomotive and the swooping, steely poise of his own Thunderfoot.”

Rob Adams, reviewing Root 2 Herald Scotland.

“Stewart Hardy is pre-eminent among the many fine fiddle tutors with whom I’ve worked. His teaching is characterised by meticulous, clearly-focused preparation, effective structure, attention to detail, rigour, positive encouragement, good humour, patience, kindness and care. He has demanding yet reasonable expectations of his students, and makes sure his workshops are enjoyable, purposeful and productive. Thus his students, at all levels, become better and more confident players. He is the complete professional.”

Folkworks Education Director (1993-2007)