By
Instructor: Neil Pearlman
Intermediate/Advanced Levels; All Instruments
So you know a bunch of tunes but what now? How do you keep them fresh, interesting and exciting as you delve into them? In this class Neil will share some of his favorite techniques for adding spontaneous variations and fills to the fiddle tunes you know and love. We’ll cover a variety of ideas from adding occasional “jazzy” runs to re-purposing the ideas already present in the tune to give it an extra kick!
By
Instructor: Joy Adams
All Levels; Cello
Improvising can feel like trying to get through a locked door. As cellists, we find ourselves taking advice from fiddle players on this topic, only to be disappointed by how few of their techniques actually work on the cello. In this workshop, we will study cello-friendly patterns that will unlock the door to a satisfying improvised solo or bass line.
By
Instructor: Joy Adams
All Levels; Cello
Each genre in the world of fiddle music comes alive with a different set of groove rhythms underneath it. In this workshop, explore the differences between backing up a bluegrass tune, a Celtic tune, an Old-Time tune, and a blues. You will learn specific groove patterns that can be mixed up and applied differently to each genre.
By
Instructor: Barry Saunders
Advanced Levels; All Instruments
We will explore idiomatic considerations when improvising, i.e. rhythmic and/or harmonic specific language of the idiom. We will also cover community improv and sharing the joy of music.
By
Instructor: Barry Saunders
All Levels; All Instruments
Here we will cover how to recognize a key to aid in developing your improvisation. We will also cover community improv and sharing the joy of music.
By
Instructor: Andy Reiner
All Levels; Bowed Stringed Instruments
Using ornaments, tune skeletons and smaller phrases, we’ll learn strategies for on-the-spot rhythmic and melodic variations. Keeping tunes fresh, alive, and 3-Dimensional. (Can you find the mysterious fourth dimension of fiddle tunes?) Game-changing for contra dance tunes as well as taking solos in bluegrass jams.
By
Instructor: Andy Reiner
All Levels; All Instruments
Featuring small group musical explorations in a welcoming environment with a strong focus on listening and musicality. A perfect introduction to improvising, and just as appropriate and deeper for more experienced players. It’s time to get weird!
By
Instructor: Andy Reiner
All Levels; All Instruments
With our instruments, we will explore rhythmic, harmonic, and melodic improvisation strategies that enhance our musicianship in any style, while working to cultivate a healthy musical attitude – removing mental barriers and freeing ourselves to be creative, improvising musicians.
By
Instructor: Andy Reiner
All Levels; Bowed Stringed Instruments
This class combines both chopping techniques as well as the Strum Bowing Method. Both are described below:
Chopping – unpitched bow noises that turn the violin into a drumset. Learn the technique and feeling at an incremental pace. Take the oath and learn how to chop wisely, musically, and tastefully. You will emerge with the tools and strategies to practice your chopping into the future, and employ the technique wherever your creativity takes you.READ MORE
By
Instructor: Erica Brown
Experienced Fiddlers with Chord Knowledge Only
Chopping* is a rhythmic, percussive bowing technique that is used to provide backup to singers and while another instrument is taking a solo. It sounds a little like beat boxing on the fiddle using chords and different rhythms to create a really cool sound. It was made popular recently by fiddlers like Casey Driessen and Darol Anger.
*Being able to play and have a general understanding of chords is a must!
By
Instructor: Barry Saunders
All levels, All Instruments
This class will dig a bit deeper into covering forms and structures when improvising. More fun improv games and the blues form will form the basis for this class. We will also cover community improv and sharing the joy of music.
By
Instructor: Barry Saunders
All levels, All Instruments
This class will go over some of the fun ways to get your feet wet and create your own sounds! We will cover creative improv games and getting through the tinge of anxiety that can be there for some. We will also cover community improv and sharing the joy of music.
By
Instructor: Rob Flax
All levels, All Instruments
The most direct way to foster “creativity” is through “creating!” This workshop is designed to foster courage for improvisation and composition using the abstract musical structures fiddlers already know, and encourages participants to embrace simple constraints as strategies for inspiration. When creating new music there are no answers, only better questions.
By
Instructor: Rob Flax
All levels, Fiddle
This class focuses on unpacking the underlying structure of the jazz standard “Ja-Da,” a simple melody from the pre-bop era, which features a ii-V-I progression that pops up in thousands of jazz tunes (and many other places).
Tunes
Ja Da, by Bob Carlton (1918), as performed by the legendary jazz violinist Stuff Smith: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=15&v=S9WM0W-pQSg
By
Instructor: Rob Flax
All Instruments
Multi-instrumentalist Rob Flax has a Masters degree in Contemporary Improvisation (“C.I.”), from the New England Conservatory, and in this workshop he shares secrets and insights from the C.I. program plus concepts developed over many years of performance. Participants will focus on deconstructing what makes a solo “compelling,” learning compositional strategies and exploring the importance of the human voice to craft better solos. Each participant will also have the opportunity to take a solo and receive feedback, masterclass style (but this is not required to participate!)
By
Instructor: Rob Flax
All Instruments
The violin family of instruments has remained virtually unchanged for hundreds of years, a feat unmatched in any other realm of technology. But with the advent of instrument amplification the modern string player has access to a whole new world of sound possibilities.READ MORE
