Sep
16
Fri
JSArts Fiddle Technique @ Shepherds Dene
Sep 16 – Sep 18 all-day
JSArts Fiddle Technique @ Shepherds Dene | Grantham | United Kingdom

Fiddle Technique

16th – 18th September 2022
Shepherds Dene, near Riding Mill, Northumberland, NE44 6AF

Join Stewart for a weekend of intensive fiddle tuition. The workshop will typically take a maxiumum of 14 participants and will run from 4 pm on Friday until 4 pm on 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 request a booking form, please email Ali (jsarts@stewarthardy.co.uk)

 

**Covid-19 Update
This course will be run in accordance to our Covid-secure Music Workshop Guidelines, and is subject to any restrictions applicable at the time, and any coronavirus protocols from the venue. Please do not travel to the venue if you feel unwell or have cold-like symptoms.

~ ~ ~

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
Sep
21
Wed
NEFS 2022 Block 5 – Online @ Videos & Zoom
Sep 21 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

North East Fiddle School returns with another block of fully online materials, plus a single day workshop in-person.

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.

This block we are delighted to present a special video tutorial by NEFS friend and guest tutor, Kevin Lees.

For those who enjoy the live engagement, 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.

There is a full day’s workshop on Saturday 15th October which is taught in person at Wylam Methodist Church and can be booked separately – a discount is applied if you book both.

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/

Sep
28
Wed
NEFS 2022 Block 5 – Online @ Videos & Zoom
Sep 28 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

North East Fiddle School returns with another block of fully online materials, plus a single day workshop in-person.

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.

This block we are delighted to present a special video tutorial by NEFS friend and guest tutor, Kevin Lees.

For those who enjoy the live engagement, 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.

There is a full day’s workshop on Saturday 15th October which is taught in person at Wylam Methodist Church and can be booked separately – a discount is applied if you book both.

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/

Oct
5
Wed
NEFS 2022 Block 5 – Online @ Videos & Zoom
Oct 5 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

North East Fiddle School returns with another block of fully online materials, plus a single day workshop in-person.

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.

This block we are delighted to present a special video tutorial by NEFS friend and guest tutor, Kevin Lees.

For those who enjoy the live engagement, 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.

There is a full day’s workshop on Saturday 15th October which is taught in person at Wylam Methodist Church and can be booked separately – a discount is applied if you book both.

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/

Oct
7
Fri
JSArts Arrangement Techniques for Mixed Instruments @ Shepherds Dene
Oct 7 – Oct 9 all-day
JSArts Arrangement Techniques for Mixed Instruments @ Shepherds Dene | Grantham | United Kingdom

Arrangement Techniques for Mixed Instruments

7th – 9th October 2022
Shepherds Dene, near Riding Mill, Northumberland, NE44 6AF

This course is currently fully booked, but please get in touch if you would like to go onto the waiting list.

Join Stewart in the beautiful retreat house of Shepherds Dene in Northumberland, for a weekend of exploring new tunes and creating arrangements. The workshop will be limieted to 8 people and will run from 4 pm on Friday until 4 pm on Sunday afternoon. It is open to players of any instrument (including transposing instruments) and is aimed at a broad range of abilities from intermediate to advanced. Workshops focus on techniques for arranging tunes for the combination of instruments to hand, using tools such as tempo, texture, dynamics and harmonic structure to create a musical narrative. To enjoy the full benefits of these courses, participants should be able to read notation or confidently and quickly pick up tunes and musical ideas by ear. We will aim to create well-mixed groups by monitoring the instrumentation as participants sign up for the course. 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 any recordings from the course are sent on to you afterwards.

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

 

**Covid-19 Update

This course will be run in accordance to our Covid-secure Music Workshop Guidelines, and is subject to any restrictions applicable at the time, and any coronavirus protocols from the venue.

Oct
12
Wed
NEFS 2022 Block 5 – Online @ Videos & Zoom
Oct 12 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

North East Fiddle School returns with another block of fully online materials, plus a single day workshop in-person.

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.

This block we are delighted to present a special video tutorial by NEFS friend and guest tutor, Kevin Lees.

For those who enjoy the live engagement, 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.

There is a full day’s workshop on Saturday 15th October which is taught in person at Wylam Methodist Church and can be booked separately – a discount is applied if you book both.

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/

Oct
15
Sat
NEFS 2022 Block 5 – In-person Workshop @ Wylam Methodist Church
Oct 15 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm

North East Fiddle School returns with a new block of fully online materials, plus a single day workshop in-person.

The in-person Workshop Day on Saturday 15th October will run from 10:00 until 17:00 at Wylam Methodist Church. There will be three workshops run by Stewart and Melissa, with a session to finish the afternoon.

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/

Oct
19
Wed
NEFS 2022 Block 5 – Online @ Videos & Zoom
Oct 19 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

North East Fiddle School returns with another block of fully online materials, plus a single day workshop in-person.

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.

This block we are delighted to present a special video tutorial by NEFS friend and guest tutor, Kevin Lees.

For those who enjoy the live engagement, 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.

There is a full day’s workshop on Saturday 15th October which is taught in person at Wylam Methodist Church and can be booked separately – a discount is applied if you book both.

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/

Oct
21
Fri
Northumbrian Pipers’ Society/Tyneside Fiddle Alliance Concert @ King's Hall
Oct 21 @ 7:30 pm
Northumbrian Pipers' Society/Tyneside Fiddle Alliance Concert @ King's Hall

Northumbrian Pipers’ Society and Tyneside Fiddle Alliance

Annual Concert:  Friday 21st October, 7.30 pm

The Northumbrian Pipers’ Society and the Tyneside Fiddle Alliance are teaming up to bring you some fantastic performers for an evening of Northumbrian music featuring pipes, fiddles and more! I will be joined by a friend or two to play a few tunes in the first half, and the TFA will be finishing the concert with a wonderful set.
7.30pm on Friday 21st October, in-person at King’s Hall or Zoom livestream.
Tickets £12. Early bird ticket price of £10 until 10th October.
Make sure to select the correct option for venue attendance or livestream! There’s also an option to ‘pay bit more’ when selecting your ticket(s) if you wish.
Oct
23
Sun
George Welch & Stewart Hardy / South Shields Folk Club @ South Shields Folk Club
Oct 23 @ 7:30 pm
George Welch & Stewart Hardy / South Shields Folk Club @ South Shields Folk Club

George and I will be heading to South Shields Folk Club for a relaxed Sunday evening on 23rd October. Join us for some more of George’s moving songs and hilarious stories and, as always, I’ll be doing my best to keep up!

 

 

Once you have heard George perform his songs, accompanied by his guitar playing with Stewart’s fiddle, there is no doubt that the success of this highly entertaining duo is built on solid musical foundations