Instructors: Joni Harms; Erica Brown
All Levels; All Instruments
Are you trying to pull a band together or HOLD a band together? It can be very difficult. Joni and Erica will tell you how they have handled this task over a successful career.
Erica Brown
Tips, Tricks, and Techniques For Fiddle
Instructor: Erica Brown
All levels, All Instruments
We will touch on a little bit of everything in this class: from exercises to improve your intonation and speed; vibrato; double stops and chords; chopping; slurs; and more!
Please come prepared with a question to address a specific issue you are dealing with. My favorite thing to do as a teacher is to help my students work through challenges they may be experiencing and help them figure out the best ways to work through them. My goal is to give you a new tool to add to your toolbox, one that will help you overcome not only your current struggle, but future musical hurdles, too.
Chop and Groove for Fiddles
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!
Harmony Singing
Instructors: Erica Brown and Matt Shipman
All Levels; Vocals
In this class we will illustrate the fundamentals of harmony and harmony singing for duets and trios as done in Bluegrass and Country styles of singing. We will learn to sing and identify different harmony parts and to sing specific songs in harmony with the rest of the group. This class is open to anyone who is interested in learning to sing or who already has some singing experience.
How to Back-up Singer
Instructor: Erica Brown
All Levels; All Instruments; Voice
In this class we will go over all the dos and don’ts of backing up a singer*. We will talk about how songs are structured, what to do in those little spaces between the lyrics, what to do and not to do while the singer is singing, when to chop, how to create a solo and some basics on how to arrange a song within a group.
*Please familiarize yourself with the following song before coming to the class:
Katy Daley- https://youtu.be/o8bmCZMOSpg
Playing in a small ensemble
Instructors: Matt Shipman; Elaine Malkin; Erica Brown; Neil Pearlman
All levels, All Instruments
In this workshop we will work on the elements of playing with others in a small ensemble. Working with instruments different than your own is a great way to expand your musicianship and listening skills. We will work on arrangements, medleys and harmony.READ MORE