*A note about levels:  There are 5 levels of fiddling at our fiddle camp.

First Time

Players with no previous experience or very little experience.

Beginner

Players with a little experience, 1-2 years of playing under their belt (post-twinkles and up to the Minuets in Suzuki book 1, and/or know about 10+ fiddle tunes)

Intermediate (Int)

Players with some experience, 2-4 years of playing (Suzuki book 2 or 3, or know 10 - 50 fiddle tunes)

Intermediate Plus (Int +)

Players with a fair amount of experience, who learn by ear easily, have good technique, but who are not quite yet advanced.  (Suzuki book 3 or 4, or know 50 – 100 fiddle tunes)

Advanced (Adv)

Players with a lot of experience, who are quick to learn by ear, have great technical ability (ie. can fluently play in positions), and have some knowledge of theory.  (Suzuki Book 5 and up, or know 75 - 500 fiddle tunes well.)

2010 Salt Spring Fiddle Camp 

July Class Descriptions

Classes with Louise Arsenault (Acadian Fiddle)

Int Acadian Fiddle

Class Time: 11:00

Advanced Acadian Fiddle

Class Time: 1:00

Intermediate Plus Acadian Fiddle

Class Time: 2:15

Classes with Anastasia DesRoches (Fiddle)

Workshops will feature traditional celtic and Acadian music but mostly original compositions from Prince Edward Island. Anastasia will teach some of her own tunes as well.  Attention will be given to learning by ear and specific bowing patterns.  Ear players and note readers will all find a place in Anastasia’s classes.

Intermediate Plus East Coast Fiddle 

Class Time: 11:00

Intermediate East Coast Fiddle 

Class Time: 1:00

Advanced East Coast Fiddle  

Class Time: 2:15

Classes with Trish Clair-Peck (Fiddle) 

Beginner Fiddle

A fun class for those with some playing experience who are looking for some good tunes and techniques at the beginning stage of their fiddling journey.  Class Time: 11:00

First Time Fiddle for Adults

You are never too old to learn!  This class is for total novices aged 14 and up.  You will learn all of the basics of playing from making a good sound to learning your first tunes.  You won’t believe what you have been missing!

Need to rent a fiddle? No prob--ask us about it today or check out the FAQ section at www.fiddleworks.ca 

Class Time: 1:00

Beginner Pennywhistle

No experience necessary, just bring a “D” whistle! All ages welcome.  (There will be pennywhistles for sale at camp).  

Class Time: 2:15

Classes with James Stephens (Fiddle & Mandolin) 

Intermediate Plus/Advanced All Instruments Band Class   

All instruments welcome.  We’ll get right to work on creating fabulous arrangements for traditional tunes.  Different backing grooves will be explored as well as creating chord patterns, harmonies, solos, and counter melodies.

Class Time: 11:00

Intermediate Plus Eclectic Fiddle

This class will deal with a mix of traditional Irish and Quebecois tunes as well as newly composed tunes from Ontario and Quebec. Emphasis on rhythmic feel, appropriate bowing patterns and creating some variations within the tunes.

Class Time: 1:00 

Beginner Mandolin

We’ll get you started finding your way around the mandolin - some melodies, some simple chords, and some ideas for practicing picking technique.

Class Time: 2:15

Classes with Zav RT (Fiddle & Viola)

First Time Fiddle for Kids (no experience needed)

Anyone can learn to play the fiddle, and have a blast doing so!!  All kids welcome, ages 4+up, just bring a fiddle (and if you’re 6 or under bring a parent too!).  Need to rent a fiddle? Ask us about it today!

p.s. there is a first time class for adults too, with Trish at 1:00!

Class Time: 11:00 

Beginner Canadian Fiddle

In this class we will sample from a tasty smorgasbord of Canadian tunes and Zav will divulge the secret techniques of fiddling awesomeness that every beginning fiddler needs to know. 

Class Time: 2:15

Classes with Shamma Sabir (Fiddle)

Intermediate Plus/Advanced Bowing Patterns & Fiddle Styles

What makes one style of fiddle music different from another?  This class will focus on five different styles of fiddle music and the bowing patterns and styles that make each style of music unique.  In addition to the double bowing styles inherent in Bluegrass music, we will explore the Metis shuffle, the gentle slur of Irish tunes, the rhythmic drive behind Cape Breton tunes, and the “kick your feet up in the air” push in the Old Tyme Polka.  If you are ready to inject your playing with authentic stylistic elements, this is the class for you!

Class Time: 11:00

All Levels Fiddle: Did I Forget How to Learn?

As we age, there become fewer and fewer things that we learn from scratch.  The truth is, we become very used to building upon prior concepts, and thus, forget how to learn.  The violin, therefore, can be a bit of an enigma, since it incorporates foreign physical movement with unusual technical concepts, fine pitch discrimination, and a seemingly impossible requirement to hold several concepts in the brain at once whilst playing.  Combine this with our need to get everything right the first time, and learning the violin can become a very frustrating experience!  If this sounds familiar to you, you will be glad to know that there are some simple concepts that will make learning the violin a more rewarding experience.  This class will focus on memory and attention, anxiety and adjusting expectations, training the ear, repetition and recognizing patterns, and muscle memory and automation, and apply these concepts directly to learning some great fiddle tunes!

Class Time: 1:00

Intermediate to Advanced Fiddle: Beyond the Notes

Yehudi Menuhin once said that the violin is the voice, but the bow is the tongue.  Without the ability to fully command the bow, it is difficult to make music expressive and eloquent.  This class is meant to provide guidance to those brave explorers who would like to learn how to make the transition from playing the notes of a tune to creating music.  By understanding and applying the concepts of bow technique, the use of dynamics, and learning the feeling of automaticity, we learn how to get from rote learning to playing music that is both expressive and representative of your inner music.  Some concepts covered will include right-arm technique, expression through dynamics, using the bow to create a danceable groove, vibrato, and learning to make playing automatic in order to apply these concepts.  If you are ready to explore the world beyond the notes, this is the class for you!

Class Time: 2:15

Classes with Geoff Horrocks (Voice, Piano & Fiddle)

Singing

Feeling fenced in? Maybe you just have the lovesick blues. The dear hearts and gentle people of this class will lift your spirits.  Come - let yourself go and learn to sing some old standards. I'll be seeing you. (All ages and levels of experience welcome).  

Class Time: 11:00

Experienced Piano Accompaniment

Do you already play piano for fiddlers? Have you're spirits been diminished because your not happy with your playing?  Come join me for an exciting exploration of how to lift your piano playing to the next level!

Class Time: 1:00

Composing 

Instrumentals, songs, happy, beautiful, angry, rhythmic, twisted chord progressions, simple melodies. It all depends on your contribution to this class!  I'm looking forward to facilitating this composition class where we will create beautiful original music together. Bring your instruments and ideas!

Class Time: 2:15

Classes with Caroline Bernard (Piano & Voice)

Acadian Vocal Workshop

Class Time: 1:00 

Experienced East Coast Piano

Class Time: 2:15

Classes with Helene Bergeron (East Coast Step Dance)

East Coast Step Dance for Teens/Adults

This course will cover basic steps danced to fiddle reels, in the maritime style, specifically PEI. It will also feature the older style of traditional acadian dance steps, which is a more rythmic approach to stepdancing. We will also do some footwork to fiddle music while sitting down, basic rhythms and some improvising.

Class Time: 11:00 

East Coast Step Dance for Kids

This introductory dance course for kids ages 6-12 will cover basic steps danced to fiddle reels, in the maritime style, specifically PEI. It will also feature the older style of traditional acadian dance steps, which is a more rythmic approach to stepdancing.  

Class Time: 1:00 

Classes with Lori Appleton (Art)

Working at your own comfort and ability level, we will explore wet and dry felting with unspun wool as a medium for creating several works of art.  Once comfortable with the processes, the projects can become more and more self-directed, but expect to bring home some very cool percussion instruments, wall hangings, and other unique creations.

Art for Teens & Adults

Class Time: 11:00

Art for Kids

Class Time: 1:00

Materials Fee: $18 

Classes with Grady Poe (Guitar)

Guitar for Experienced Players

This course will be focused on using the guitar to accompany fiddle music. In addition to arranging specific chord changes to fit the melody of the tune, the course will also deal with improvisational accompaniment. The use of DADGAD tuning will be featured. Strumming techniques will be explored as well as apprroaches for finding alternative chord voicings.

Class Time: 2:15

Yoga Class

Yoga for relaxation, meditation, strength, and FUN!  This class is for teens, adults, and focused kids ages 10+.

Class Time: 11:00