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Just out of curiocity, since many persons are learning how to play, what type(s) of music do you like to play ? and/or desire to become proficient at ? Country, Folk, Rock, Spiritual, Contemporary, Classical , etc.
Fort me it's primarily classical music, namely symphonic and solo compositions by many of the great composers, i.e. Beethoven, Mozart, Bach, Brahms, Ravel, Dvorak, Tchaikovsky, Handel, as well as some of the more contemporary classical writers, i.e. Shostakovitch, Mahler, Copland, and Ungar (think Ashokan Farewell by Ungar which is a stunningly beautiful and moving piece either played solo or accompanied by an orchestra.)... Occasionally I'll throw down a few country and folk tunes as well.
Much of the classical work I practice is part of our orchestra repertiore but some of it is also work that I have chosen on my own. For example I have been trying to learn to play the solo violin part for Tchaikovsky's "Violin Concerto in Major, Op. 34" which for me is a work in progress of my own choosing. It isn't easy (to put it mildly) but I am determined to keep working on it.
The important thing to remember is we are all students and no matter what we play, no matter how well we can play it we are always learning.
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I think I'll end up being an allrounder, since I like all sort of music and did like to play it all. But if I've to say some specific genres, it would probably be jazz, folk and classical music. A little of everything I'll say, probably not so much of religious music, since I'm not a religious person.
'Armed with theory, practice becomes meaningful. Through practice, theory becomes fulfilled.' - Egon von Neindorff.
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I prefer fiddle music, myself. That includes traditional Irish, Scottish, American Revolutionary and Civil War era music, Old Time, Blue Grass, etc. I've always loved those genres. I enjoy classical music, too, and when I started learning to play, I didn't have a set genre in mind, but the as time goes on I find myself gravitating to fiddle genres for a number of reasons.
When the work's all done and the sun's settin' low,
I pull out my fiddle and I rosin up the bow.
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Stone dog!!!! That was so freakin' goooood. wow...
To answer the question... I thought I wanted to learn classical and a little romantic Italiano... But now I feel those wants changing.... and folk fiddle, and other songs are pulling at me.... Magnificent and thrilling the whole experience...
Vibrato Desperato.... Desperately seeking vibrato
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I'm like a kid in a candy store!
ooohhh that sounds good let's try that.... that sounds good too gotta try this 1 too!
I hope I never close the door to any type of music!
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Like a few of the others I'm all over the place with what I like to play. Being new I've been trying a little bit of all different types of music. maybe once I have some time under my belt... or under my bow... I'll settle in to a 'type' I prefer. 
“Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent”
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I like to think of myself as an open, varied player. Love to play just about anything. 
Great link above StoneDog.
Thanks
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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Well, y'see, every time I *think* there's a type of music I don't like, sooner or later I end up getting to know somebody who plays it or is really into it. So I end up listening to it, finding out it isn't all as bad as I thought and some of it is really cool.. And then there's another type of music that I'm likely to play at least sometimes.
But that's alright, I'm good with that.
So when it comes to genre, I'm kinda "Sworn to fun, loyal to none.."
"This young wine may have a lot of tannins now, but in 5 or 10 years it is going to be spectacular, despite the fact that right now it tastes like crude oil. You know this is how it is supposed to taste at this stage of development." ~ Itzhak Perlman
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As a matter pf principle I am going to have to learn to play "Largo al factotum" from Rossini's "Barber de Seville". Why ? Because it basically describes my life, at least from the perspective of those around me and what they expect of me.
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Crazymotive said
As a matter pf principle I am going to have to learn to play "Largo al factotum" from Rossini's "Barber de Seville". Why ? Because it basically describes my life, at least from the perspective of those around me and what they expect of me.
What is it that other expect of ya? > Do you have a preferred link to this piece?
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ANYTHING OTHER THAN CLASSICAL AND MOST JAZZ. 
I like most music and will 'try' to play anything that sounds good to me. Yep.. To me it's that simple. 
Seen it all. Done it all. Can't remember most of 
..... What was I saying???? 
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Crazymotive said As a matter pf principle I am going to have to learn to play "Largo al factotum" from Rossini's "Barber de Seville". Why ? Because it basically describes my life, at least from the perspective of those around me and what they expect of me.
What is it that other expect of ya? > Do you have a preferred link to this piece?
Hah, I meant it sort of as a light hearted joke. If you read the lyrics to the song, or the English translation, Figaro is the barber and sort of the "handyman" of the town". Everyone is always coming to him and he is the center of everything. He is always in high demand. In a loosely related way Figaro sort of reminds me of myself. In my case, although I am not a barber, I am the ":handyman of the family", people are always looking for me to do this, fix that, go here, go there, etc. Round here, I am always in high demand for one thing or another. So I make the somewhat comical reference, playing "Largo al Factotum" would be king of like "playing my own song"
Here is the lyrics with an English translation. No I haven't acquired the musical scores for the opera. At least, not yet 
http://classicalmusic.about.co.....lation.htm
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It's really great to hear that so many members here enjoy playing a diverse range of music and/or different members have different types of music they enjoy playing or aspire to play in the future.
As I stated above my main focus and preferred music is classical and my repertoire consists of mostly classical. My favorite composers that I like to perform works by are Tchaikovsky, Handel, Mozart, Beethoven and Ravel. When I am playing on my own I enjoy playing several of the movements from Mozart's Symphony # 40, Handel's "Water Music", Beethoven's 5th and 9th, Tchaikovsky's "Concerto in D major, Op.34", Ravel's "Bolero" and "Mother Goose" are among my top favorites.
Another piece I really love playing is Jay Ungar's Ashokan farewell. It is more along tie lines of a folk tune. It was written by Jay Ungar in the 1980's in the style of a Scottish folk ballad/lament and sounds stunningly beautiful whether played as a solo or with a small group or a full orchestra. It is also a part of our orchestra repertoire. I post a link below to it being played by my orchestra at a concert this past December
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....c8JLjCr4UE
If you like it check out some of the other versions also listed on U-Tube. It is not a particularly hard piece to learn and sounds beautiful, whether you play it solo or with accompanied by others. It was also used as theme music in the PBS television documentary series "The Civil War".
Although classical music is, and will probably always be my main focus future goals are learning to play jazz as well as learning more folk tunes.
I guess like most of us, I have enough music of interest to keep me busy with the violin for decades to come.
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Thanks for the video link, what a neat opportunity you have to play in a local orchestra!
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Yes, it was a blessing that I found this wonderful orchestra to join. I have learned a lot from them. First and foremost it helped me to improve my skills and technique. I can now play pieces of music that I would not have imagined myself playing a year or two ago. I also learned a lot about how an orchestra functions, how orchestral music is arranged and played and have also learned the importance of having a good conductor at the helm.
I also owe a great deal of thanks to my 4th grade music teacher who first taught me how to read music and gave me my first violin lessons and then put me in the school orchestra in 5th and 6th grade.
I also ow a great deal of thanks to Pierre (Fiddlerman) for creating this wonderful website and providing online lessons, practice etudes and music. It was both inspirational and helped me get back into the groove whence I decided to pick up the violin again after many years of not playing.
Also, I owe a great deal of thanks and gratitude to all the members here of all skill levels, who have shared ideas, advice, music samples, enthusiasm, insights, etc. It is always great to connect with people who share and discuss a common interest.
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KindaScratchy: What are some of your favorite songs that aren't too difficult?! I've been playing Swallowtail Jig and Road to Lisdoonvarna recently. They are simple songs but I'm playing them to get faster. I'm good slow, bad fast. Let me know any favorite Irish reels or anything you play!!!
That goes for anyone else. I'd love to hear about easy/intermediate reels or folk songs you guys like. It's good as a community to pass on favorites so when we are good we can pass them down to the next generation of fiddlers.
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50's to 60's rock/pop
70 to. 90's country
Verve and blue note label jazz
60's surf
I play my main three instruments with those, but learning to improv fiddle to them also. Irish, and old time music is what I do desire to get more well tuned into.
Give No Mercy To Fear.
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Hman said
KindaScratchy: What are some of your favorite songs that aren't too difficult?! I've been playing Swallowtail Jig and Road to Lisdoonvarna recently. They are simple songs but I'm playing them to get faster. I'm good slow, bad fast. Let me know any favorite Irish reels or anything you play!!!That goes for anyone else. I'd love to hear about easy/intermediate reels or folk songs you guys like. It's good as a community to pass on favorites so when we are good we can pass them down to the next generation of fiddlers.
Swallow Tail Jig is one. I've got that one memorized. I'm also working on Irish Washerwoman, which isn't too hard if you take it slow at first.
I'm working on other standards like Soldier's Joy and Red Haired Boy, as well as some traditional tunes that you don't hear as much about like the The World Turned Upside Down, Headlands March, Rustic Reel, Jefferson and Liberty (The Gobby O), The Road to Boston, Minstrel Boy (the Irish Rover) and Rally 'Round the Flag.
When the work's all done and the sun's settin' low,
I pull out my fiddle and I rosin up the bow.
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When it come's down to music genre, I like playing song's that people can sing along with. I like all type's of music, even classical, but if I were to go to a party and play for people there, they don't want to hear, Beethovin and Mozart, they want something they perhap's know the word's to and can sing along.
Here is a partial list of song's I play. While i'm playing one song I may hit a couple note's that remind me of another song, so I start on the new one. My only problem is that I never write the name's down and some song's I play I don't remember the name, I just play from what I remember how the song goes, so I can't write it down.
Christmas Song's
White Christmas
Frosty The Snowman
Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas
Jingle Bell Rock
The Christmas Song (Chestnut's Roasting on An Open Fire)
Pop, Old Favorite's
Three O'Clock in The Morning
Beyond The Blue Horizon
Sidewalks of New York
Cruising Down the River (on a Sunday afternoon)
Maria Elena
China Town
Slow Boat to China
The Band Played On
Don't you know (Della Reese)
Take Me Out to The Ball Game
Swanee River
Deep Purple
Baby Face
I'll Be Seeing You (in all the old familiar places)
Mona Lisa
Ashokan Farewell
Brazil
Red River Valley
The High and The Mighty
Tie a Yellow Ribbon round the Old Oak Tree
Mr. Lucky
Chattanooga Shoe Shine Boy
Stormy Weather
The Alphabet Song (a you're adorable)
The Old Lamplighter
Don't Fence Me In
Button's N Bow's
Charmaine
In The Still of The Night
It's a Long Way to Tiperary
Irish Washer Woman
Swallowtail Jig
Danny Boy
And there's more, like I said, I just can't remember what they are because I don't write em down.
Ken.
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