
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.
Stewart Hardy & Frank McLaughlin
Fri 9th May, 8.00 pm @ Cullercoats Watch House
Tickets £12 from Phoenix Folk.
It is always a pleasure to sit down with my pal Frank and make music. We’ve been doing it for some time now… the 30th anniversary is not far off!! We’re delighted to be able to show our wares in public at the Watch House, Cullercoats, where I have recently been enjoying some great performers delivering wonderful gigs in a delightful, informal and intimate venue. Do come along if you can make it and say hello!

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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)
Recordings
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May21Wed7:00 pm NEFS 2025 Block 3 – Online @ Online CourseNEFS 2025 Block 3 – Online @ Online CourseMay 21 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pmNorth East Fiddle School returns with another block of fully online materials, plus a single day workshop in-person that will be held this block on Saturday 17th May. Technique and tunes are taught through Video...May30Fri7:00 pm May Workshops 2025: Play-along S... @ Online - on ZoomMay Workshops 2025: Play-along S... @ Online - on ZoomMay 30 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pmMay Workshops 2025 Play-along Session in Harmony for Mixed Instruments This will be a Zoom call open to intermediate players (and above) of any instrument. Notation will be provided in advance for all the tunes,...May31Sat10:00 am May Workshops 2025: Fiddle Works... @ Online - on ZoomMay Workshops 2025: Fiddle Works... @ Online - on ZoomMay 31 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pmMay Workshops 2025 Fiddle Workshop 1 Zoom Workshop Learn a tune steadily, taught phrase by phrase with detailed instruction for any useful techniques that can be taken away for use in all your fiddle playing....2:00 pm May Workshops 2025: Fiddle Works... @ Online - on ZoomMay Workshops 2025: Fiddle Works... @ Online - on ZoomMay 31 @ 2:00 pm – 4:00 pmMay Workshops 2025 Fiddle Workshop 2 Zoom Workshop Learn a tune steadily, taught phrase by phrase with detailed instruction for any useful techniques that can be taken away for use in all your fiddle playing.... Facebook Feed
7 days ago
🎶 The Tune VaultI was so delighted to have had a chance to play out with Frank McLaughlin last weekend. Many thanks to all those who came to support us at Cullercoats Watch House and thanks to Maurice and Marina at Phoenix Folk Ltd. for putting on the gig. We played a new set of triple hornpipes, the second of which was a ridiculously happy tune called 'Lads and Lasses'. Here it is for The Tune Vault.
Lads and Lasses (Apollo and Daphne)
An almost hysterically joyous triple hornpipe which can be found in volume 3 of John Young’s 1726 edition of the Dancing Master and William Wright’s 1740 Complete Collection of Country Dances (under the alternative title).
Lads and Lasses (Apollo and Daphne) | The Tune Vault
youtu.be
Lads and Lasses (Apollo and Daphne)- The Tune Vault by Stewart HardyAn almost hysterically joyous triple hornpipe which can be found in volume 3 of John You...2 weeks ago
🎻🎸 TONIGHT! 😊Final rehearsals have been lots of fun, and we are looking forward to playing at the Watch House this evening!
Doors will open at 7.40 pm for a 8.00 pm start. Please bring all your own refreshments, including glasses etc.
Don't forget to bring some change for raffle tickets if you wish to buy one in support of the Watch House! ... See MoreSee Less
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When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it, or it's been deleted.2 weeks ago
🎶 Princess RoyalOne of my favourite tunes in the Woolsington Strings repertoire is O’Carolan’s Princess Royal which, by sheer coincidence, has just dropped into The Tune Vault. In our arrangement it features our wonderful 5-string fiddle and viola players. Here it is, stripped right back to solo fiddle and it is a great tune to learn.
Princess Royal [Miss MacDermott] (Turlough O’Carolan)
Although not a certainty, this is very probably a Carolan composition and I have always thought of it as such. In fact it was one of the first Carolan tunes I played, acquired from a lovely vinyl LP by the Irish fiddler Liam Rowsome, son of the legendary uilleann piper Leo Rowsome. He played it an A minor, but over the years my preference has leaned towards G minor. One explanation for the ‘princess royal’ in the title is that it may be a reference to the daughter of the head of the MacDermott’s of Coolavin, he being known as the Prince of Coolavin. ... See MoreSee Less
Princess Royal [Miss MacDermott] (Carolan) | The Tune Vault
youtu.be
Princess Royal [Miss MacDermott] (Carolan)- The Tune Vault by Stewart HardyAlthough not a certainty, this is very probably a Carolan composition and I have ...Tags
30 Years Collection Bill Elliot Bottle Bank Band CD Launch Community Strings Fiddle Day Frank McLaughlin George Welch Graham Dixon Halsway Manor HISS Holly & Ivy James Hill Jimmy's Fiddle JSArts Maddison's Thread Mick West Trio Minstrelsy Morpeth Gathering North East Fiddle School Northumbrian Session Shop Solo TFA The Tune Vault Tyneside Fiddle Alliance