And now for a completely different perspective…

I’ve never really been a fan of “survey courses”.  I’m an in-depth seminar type of person.  I also have little inclination for listening to people talking about playing music; I love hands on, active, participatory workshops that leave me with actionable techniques that I can improve and apply to my playing.  This year’s Fiddle Hell has some excellent workshops and instructors that suit my learning style.  In fact, I think it’s the best Fiddle Hell I’ve experienced.  There’s a good selection of intermediate and advanced presentations by fine instructors.

Jay Ungar’s one class, “Our Musical Secrets to Playing a Waltz in a Compelling Way”  is itself worth the price of admission.  He is a premier teacher, a kind, humble soul, and an emotional artist.  It shows in every note he plays and every word he speaks.  He dissects every note of Lovers’ Waltz, explaining and demonstrating each move he makes with his fingers, each embellishment he adds, and each subtle technique he applies as he draws the bow.  He makes sure to play the critical parts closely into the camera so the technique is transparent. These secrets can be reworked into our own pieces going forward.  I will re-watch this class for at least a month mining every single detail from it.  Last year, Jay spoke so deeply about his emotional connection with music that he, and a good part of the workshop participants, teared up.  A true artist unfiltered.

Hanneke Cassel teaches several participatory workshops.  She is an excellent teacher with a beyond-words glowing joy and exuberant, positive personality.  Her Scottish Grace Note Tutorial session explicitly conveys the techniques of several essential ornaments.  Studying this along with all of her other detailed workshops is a solid plunge into the Scottish music that she performs so well.

Peter Macfarlane also presents several workshops with in-depth insight into the intricacies of Scottish fiddling technique as well as rhythmic nuances.  As a classically-trained violinist and astute fiddler, he is well informed and explicitly conveys his expertise.  His handouts are wonderfully analytical and all-encompassing.  Violinists and fiddlers of all genres can glean insights from each of his excellent classes, and it’s worth watching every single one of them.  His “Timing and Emphasis in Jigs” offers insight and specific techniques for capturing the essence of the jig.

Austin Scelzo is the up-and-coming rock star of fiddle instruction!  Every single one of his five workshops is worth watching (and playing along with) even if you think it’s not within your range of interest.  He blends theory, technique, and practical playing in the most usable package imaginable.  He loves to teach and he beams throughout his engaging presentations.  The links to his website and other instructional materials lead to a virtual university of practical fiddling.  He’s a teaching genius, with a degree in music education, and he provides years of material for musical growth.

That’s certainly four months of re-watching and studying/practicing right there.