Fiddle-Curious? A Workshops with Rachel Meiers Sunday, November 23 2-4pm Register for one, or take both 11/16 and 11/23 and get a discount!
Perhaps you learned violin in grade school but never picked it back up, or you have a rigorous classical background? Perhaps you played or still play violin but you’re just curious about what other genres of music are out there? Perhaps, you have even been playing fiddle but are curious about ways to make it sound MORE fiddle-y and less violin-y?
These workshops for are folks who are familiar and comfortable with their instrument, but want to:
learn more about fiddling in general
learn the ways playing techniques might differ or be applied in different contexts
learn some fiddle tunes with extra attention paid to how we are playing and making sounds
improve your playing without it sounding stiff
nerd out with some folks about the fiddle in a friendly and open environment
You do not need to read music to participate! We will learn tunes by ear, and sheet music will be given afterwards as a reference.
Workshop #1: We will work on the fast stuff! We’ll learn a fiddle tune, talk about bowing techniques for speed and string crossings, go over some helpful left hand tricks, as well as ways to loosen up your playing while still hitting the notes, and how to keep a driving beat. If we have time to learn more than one tune we will, but even if we don’t get to the tune we will talk briefly about different genres of tunes, cross-tuning, rags, country blues, and answer any other fiddle/violin questions you might have.
Workshop #2: we will work on the slow and sweet stuff with a waltz and and air time permitting. We’ll discuss bowing techniques for sustained sound, shifting through double stops, when and where to embellish, how to make something pretty but not boring, and, of course, make time for questions and thoughts!
To inquire about scholarship/financial aid, please email lynette@jalopytheatre.org.
The Jalopy Theatre is fully ADA accessible, including wheelchair-accessible bathrooms. The Theatre is also equipped with large circulating fans that have UV air cleaners to help create a safer indoor environment.