
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!

Latest Newsletter
For up to date information on concerts, workshops and merchandise, you can read the latest newsletter. You can also sign up here to receive it directly to your inbox each month:
Sadly, like many other small businesses, we have had to suspend CD and book sales to the EU and Northern Ireland for the time being. This is due the new GPSR regulations that came into force in December 2024 regarding shipping products from the UK to the EU. We hope this issue will be resolved in the coming months. Please continue to order Downloads if you live in the EU or Northern Ireland.
“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
-
Upcoming Events
Sep5Friall-day JSArts Fiddle Foundations @ Rydal HallJSArts Fiddle Foundations @ Rydal HallSep 5 – Sep 7 all-dayFiddle Foundations 5th – 7th September 2025 Rydal Hall, Ambleside LA22 9LX 3.00 pm start and finish time. Join Stewart in the beautiful surroundings of Rydal Hall in the Lake District for a weekend of...Oct3Friall-day JSArts Ensemble Playing for Mixe... @ Shepherds DeneJSArts Ensemble Playing for Mixe... @ Shepherds DeneOct 3 – Oct 5 all-dayEnsemble Playing for Mixed Instruments 3rd – 5th October 2025 Shepherds Dene, Riding Mill, Northumberland NE44 6AF 4.00 pm start and finish time. Join Stewart in the beautiful retreat venue of Shepherds Dene, for...Nov7Friall-day JSArts Fiddle Technique @ Rydal HallJSArts Fiddle Technique @ Rydal HallNov 7 – Nov 9 all-dayJSArts Fiddle Technique 7th – 9th November 2025 Rydal Hall, Ambleside LA22 9LX 3.00 pm start and finish time. £402 fully inclusive (except bar drinks) Join Stewart in the beautiful surroundings of Rydal Hall in... Facebook Feed
2 days ago
🎶 One of my favourite Scots (aka ‘Scotch’) measures is heading for The Tune Vault!I taught 'The Farther ben the Wilkemar' at the last JSArts Advanced Fiddle course to a lovely group of players. It’s an absolute cracker and significantly different from the currently better known Shetland version. Well worth a look, particularly for fans of Nathaniel Gow’s 'Lady Mary Hay’s Scotch Measure'.
The Farther ben the Wilkemar
The Farther ben the Wilkemar | The Tune Vault
youtu.be
The Farther ben the Wilkemar (Further Been the Welcomer / Da Farder Ben da Wylcomer)- The Tune Vault by Stewart HardyI was first introduced to this tune by ...1 week ago
Niles Krieger is joining us on Saturday for the North East Fiddle School Summer Workshop Weekend. He’s a great guy and an outstanding fiddler. One of his projects is playing with my old pal Jed Grimes, who was a musical partner and mentor of mine back in the 1990s. He taught me a great deal and shared some fabulous tunes, not least Carolan’s 'Baptist Johnston' which is heading for The Tune Vault 🎻🎧Baptist Johnston [Planxty Johnston] (Turlough O’Carolan)
A beautiful, lively tune written for the one-time High Sheriff of County Monaghan, who went on to be the MP for the borough of Monaghan. I learnt this version from Jed Grimes, who, in turn, had it from Mick Doonan, from his days playing with Hedgehog Pie and The Doonan Family Band. ... See MoreSee Less
Baptist Johnston [Planxty Johnston] (Turlough O’Carolan) | The Tune Vault
youtu.be
Baptist Johnston [Planxty Johnston] (Turlough O’Carolan)- The Tune Vault by Stewart HardyA beautiful, lively tune written for the one-time High Sheriff of C...3 weeks ago
☀️ Happy mid-summer weekend - it looks set to be a scorcher!Tyneside Fiddle Alliance, Phoenix Chamber Folk Ensemble, Hexham Village Band and The Redheughers are getting together on Sunday to share their music with each other. We are really looking forward to it. A big shout out to Robin Dunn who is stepping down as the leader of The Redheughers after what must be nigh on thirty years. He is one of the great servants of the North East folk music community and we are all lucky to have him. Cumberland Nellie is a tune I learnt from him and taught to TFA. We’ll be sure to play it on Sunday but in the meantime, here it is for The Tune Vault.
... See MoreSee Less
Cumberland Nellie | The Tune Vault
youtu.be
Cumberland Nellie (Cumberland Nelly)- The Tune Vault by Stewart HardyHere’s a very old English tune dating back to at least the latter half of the seventeen...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