Nov
13
Fri
Cancelled: Fiddle Technique @ Shepherd's Dene
Nov 13 – Nov 15 all-day
Cancelled: Fiddle Technique @ Shepherd's Dene | Grantham | United Kingdom

Fiddle Technique

13th – 15th November 2020
Shepherd’s Dene, Riding Mill, Northumberland NE44 6AF

Join Stewart in the beautiful Northumbrian setting of Shepherd’s Dene near Riding Mill, for a weekend of intensive fiddle tuition. The workshop will typically take between 10 and 15 people from Friday evening until Sunday afternoon.This course can accommodate a broad range of experience and ability, ranging from competent beginner to upper intermediate, but is not suitable for absolute or early beginners. All tuition, resources, accommodation, food and daytime refreshments are included. Sheet music and mp3 files of the tunes covered are sent out in advance, and recordings of exercises from the course are sent on to you afterwards.

These courses are centred around the technical issues that come with playing fiddle music, with as much emphasis on the how as there is on the what. Focusing on left-hand and bowing technique, with stylistic interpretation of the music a key feature, these workshops delve deep into the tunes, extracting exercises to improve technique and allow its application to a wider repertoire. Tunes are carefully selected for their technical or stylistic content whilst also baring in mind practical considerations such as their usefulness in folk music sessions or as dance repertoire. The tunes are taught ‘as if by ear’, meaning they are taught phrase by phrase at a tempo and with sufficient repetition to enable learning without recourse to reading notation, but with notation available at any point should that be desired or necessary. This encourages the development of aural pattern recognition and general musicality, enhancing musicianship and the enjoyment of playing music in social settings.

For further information or to express your interest in this course, please email Ali (jsarts@stewarthardy.co.uk)

Standard Level courses are aimed at fiddle players with a broad range of experience and ability, from competent beginner to upper intermediate, but please note they are not suitable for absolute or early beginners. We would expect players to have most of the following skills:
  • – playing simple dance tunes at steady to mid tempo (e.g. reels and jigs at 50-80 beats per minute)
  • – able to clap in time to a tune
  • – have basic control of the bow on the string
  • – able to slur notes together
  • – comfortable in the keys of G,D and A major and familiar with their note names
  • – familiarity with C major
  • – able to play basic scales without notation
  • – able to play at least 2 tunes without notation
In addition fiddlers who attend these courses often have some of the following experience:
  • – attend other fiddle workshops
  • – play with a community folk music group
  • – join in folk music sessions
  • – receive tuition on the fiddle/violin
Dec
4
Fri
December Workshops: Play-along Session @ Online - on Zoom
Dec 4 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
December Workshops: Play-along Session @ Online - on Zoom | Grantham | United Kingdom

December Workshops
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, together with suggestions for basic chords and a harmony line but feel free to join in by ear! You can play the tune along with Stewart, play an accompaniment with a bass line, chords or a harmony (your own or follow the suggestions) or enjoy playing the tune whilst Stewart plays a harmony. Spoiler alert – Stewart is a fiddle player! The harmonies may extend beyond the range of your instrument so if you have specific requirements, please get in touch.

Zoom Workshop
Friday 4th December 19:00 – 21:00

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. 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.

Dec
5
Sat
December Workshops: Fiddle Workshop 1 @ Online - on Zoom
Dec 5 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
December Workshops: Fiddle Workshop 1 @ Online - on Zoom | Grantham | United Kingdom

December Workshops
Fiddle Workshop 1

This workshop will provide a warm-up, technical session and will teach a tune which illustrates the use of the technique explored. Suitable for players from competent beginners to upper intermediates. 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 4th December: 10:00 – 12:00

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.

December Workshops: Fiddle Workshop 2 @ Online - on Zoom
Dec 5 @ 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
December Workshops: Fiddle Workshop 2 @ Online - on Zoom | Grantham | United Kingdom

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.

Jan
13
Wed
NEFS 2021 Block 1 – Online @ Online - Videos & Zoom
Jan 13 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
NEFS 2021 Block 1 - Online @ Online - Videos & Zoom

North East Fiddle School returns with a new block of fully online materials.

Technique and tunes are taught through video tutorials which are added to weekly and can be accessed indefinitely after that so you can work at your own pace.

For those who enjoy the live environment, there are weekly Fiddle Practice sessions and tunes taught live on Zoom each Wednesday evening for the five weeks of the block. These are great fun, and a good way to keep up with playing your fiddle regularly, whilst improving your technique and learning some core repertoire tunes.

Check out the NEFS website for full details, see which tunes are being taught this block by myself and Melissa Whitehead, and you can book online through the website:  http://www.northeastfiddleschool.org.uk/

Jan
20
Wed
NEFS 2021 Block 1 – Online @ Online - Videos & Zoom
Jan 20 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
NEFS 2021 Block 1 - Online @ Online - Videos & Zoom

North East Fiddle School returns with a new block of fully online materials.

Technique and tunes are taught through video tutorials which are added to weekly and can be accessed indefinitely after that so you can work at your own pace.

For those who enjoy the live environment, there are weekly Fiddle Practice sessions and tunes taught live on Zoom each Wednesday evening for the five weeks of the block. These are great fun, and a good way to keep up with playing your fiddle regularly, whilst improving your technique and learning some core repertoire tunes.

Check out the NEFS website for full details, see which tunes are being taught this block by myself and Melissa Whitehead, and you can book online through the website:  http://www.northeastfiddleschool.org.uk/

Jan
27
Wed
NEFS 2021 Block 1 – Online @ Online - Videos & Zoom
Jan 27 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
NEFS 2021 Block 1 - Online @ Online - Videos & Zoom

North East Fiddle School returns with a new block of fully online materials.

Technique and tunes are taught through video tutorials which are added to weekly and can be accessed indefinitely after that so you can work at your own pace.

For those who enjoy the live environment, there are weekly Fiddle Practice sessions and tunes taught live on Zoom each Wednesday evening for the five weeks of the block. These are great fun, and a good way to keep up with playing your fiddle regularly, whilst improving your technique and learning some core repertoire tunes.

Check out the NEFS website for full details, see which tunes are being taught this block by myself and Melissa Whitehead, and you can book online through the website:  http://www.northeastfiddleschool.org.uk/

Jan
29
Fri
January 2021 Workshops: Play-along Session @ Online - on Zoom
Jan 29 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
January 2021 Workshops: Play-along Session @ Online - on Zoom | Grantham | United Kingdom

January 2021 Workshops
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, together with suggestions for basic chords and a harmony line, but feel free to join in by ear! You can play the tune along with Stewart, play an accompaniment with a bass line, chords or a harmony (your own or follow the suggestions) or enjoy playing the tune whilst Stewart plays a harmony. If you wish to join in on an instrument with a different range from the fiddle, or with specfic key requirements, please get in touch before booking.

Zoom Workshop
Friday 29th January, 19:00 – 21:00

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. 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.

Jan
30
Sat
January 2021 Workshops: Fiddle Workshop 1 @ Online - on Zoom
Jan 30 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
January 2021 Workshops: Fiddle Workshop 1 @ Online - on Zoom | Grantham | United Kingdom

January 2021 Workshops
Fiddle Workshop 1

This workshop will provide a warm-up, technical session and will teach a tune which illustrates the use of the technique explored. Suitable for players from competent beginners to upper intermediates. 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: 10:00 am – 12:00 noon

For full details, please see the Janauary 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 @ Online - on Zoom
Jan 30 @ 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
January 2021 Workshops: Fiddle Workshop 2 @ Online - on Zoom | Grantham | United Kingdom

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.