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.

Mar
26
Fri
March 2021 Workshops: Play-along Session @ Online - on Zoom
Mar 26 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
March 2021 Workshops: Play-along Session @ Online - on Zoom | Grantham | United Kingdom

March 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 26th March, 19:00 – 21:00

For full details, please see the March 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.

Mar
27
Sat
March 2021 Workshops: Fiddle Workshop 1 @ Online - on Zoom
Mar 27 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
March 2021 Workshops: Fiddle Workshop 1 @ Online - on Zoom | Grantham | United Kingdom

March 2021 Workshops
Fiddle Workshop 1

Maurice Manley’s Polka

A very popular session tune which is great for applying ‘pulse bowing’ and practicing your polka groove. It has also been selected as a great introduction to playing chords on the fiddle – the shapes to use and some effective rhythms to apply. 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 27th March: 10:00 am – 12:00 noon

For full details, please see the March 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.

March 2021 Workshops: Fiddle Workshop 2 @ Online - on Zoom
Mar 27 @ 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
March 2021 Workshops: Fiddle Workshop 2 @ Online - on Zoom | Grantham | United Kingdom

March 2021  Workshops
Fiddle Workshop 2

The Barrowburn  (A. Harper)

A stonking reel in D major that lends itself well to the Georgia Shuffle bowing pattern. It has also been selected as a great introduction to playing chords on the fiddle – the shapes to use and some effective rhythms to apply. 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 27th March: 14:00 – 16:00

For full details, please see the March 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.

May
21
Fri
May Workshops 2021: Play-along Session @ Online - on Zoom
May 21 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

May Workshops 2021
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 21st May, 19:00 – 21:00

A single workshop is £20, attend two for £35 or all three for £50.
Bookings open now

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.

May
22
Sat
May Workshops 2021: Fiddle Workshop 1 @ Online - on Zoom
May 22 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm

May Workshops 2021
Fiddle Workshop 1

Zoom Workshop
Saturday 22nd May: 10:00 am – 12:00 noon
Competent Beginner to Upper Intermediate level

Marino Casino (John Sheahan)

In this morning workshop there is an opportunity to learn John Sheahan’s beautiful, lyrical tune Marino Casino, which provides an excellent case study for using simple techniques to overcome awkward melodic passages – once you know the trick you’ll wonder what the problem ever was.

A single workshop is £20, attend two for £35 or all three for £50.
Bookings open now

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.

May Workshops 2021: Fiddle Workshop 2 @ Online - on Zoom
May 22 @ 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm

May Workshops 2021
Fiddle Workshop 2

Zoom Workshop
Saturday 27th March: 14:00 – 16:00
Intermediate to Advanced level

Saint Cuthbert Crossing the Rhine (Chris Ormston)

In this afternoon workshop we’ll look at a personal favourite from one of North East England’s finest tunesmith’s, the legendary piper Chris Ormston. Saint Cuthbert Crossing the Rhine is a terrific, punchy Northumbrian rant containing some wonderful hidden syncopation.

A single workshop is £20, attend two for £35 or all three for £50.
Bookings open now

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.

Jul
9
Fri
Fiddle Technique @ Rydal Hall
Jul 9 – Jul 11 all-day
Fiddle Technique @ Rydal Hall | Grantham | United Kingdom

Fiddle Technique

9th – 11th July 2021
Rydal Hall, Ambleside LA22 9LX

**Covid-19 Update

This course is scheduled to run in person, but is subject to the Steps out of Lockdown proceeding as planned and any further mitigations that are placed upon groups meeting together indoors or by the venue. Those people who have signed up for a previous course that has been cancelled have had their bookings rolled forwards to this course, and will have first offer of the available places. Further bookings are not currently being taken, but an Interest List is being kept in case of spaces being available. Once the course is confirmed as going ahead, this list will be contacted in order and offered places. Please email Ali if you would like to be added to the Interest List for this course.

~ ~ ~

Join Stewart in the beautiful setting of Rydal Hall in the Lake District, 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