Growing up, music gatherings like fiddle camps and contests were my absolute favorite thing in the world. Each year, I looked forward to these gatherings like other kids looked forward to Christmas or trips to Disneyland. I could not imagine anything more perfect than...
I must have been about ten years old when I discovered Andy Stein on the car radio while my parents were listening to "Prairie Home Companion." Sure I was young, but I remember his music as a sort of revelation. He was one of the first jazz violinists I'd EVER heard,...
Have you had the pleasure of listening to Duke Ellington's Jazz Violin Session? Recorded in 1963 but not released until two years after Ellington's death in 1976, these sessions feature Ellington and members of his orchestra plus three paramount jazz violinists: Svend...
A strong fourth finger is essential for good fiddling, but often that strength is difficult to develop. Especially if you don’t often use your fourth finger or you’re new to using it, this finger may put up a fight when you try to get it to do your bidding. But don’t...
As of the publication of this, it's December 20th, and that means that there's cheesy Christmas music pouring from every speaker you find. Even though I gripe about certain songs, I love the way good holiday music can set a warm, cheerful mood. That's why we put...
Often, adults say to me, “I wish I’d never stopped playing ___________ (insert instrument here) when I was a kid. But it’s too late now.” I have news for you: it’s never too late to come back to your instrument or pick up a new...
By Celeste Johnson People often ask me why I like fiddle contests. They seem like an odd thing to many people. “So you’re telling me that you get up on stage to be judged on purpose?!” And when it’s put that way, I see how contests can be off-putting. But when I go to...
We’re so excited to release our newest lesson on August 24th. This is one of the most jam-packed, content-rich lessons we’ve ever released in Fiddle School. It’s a goldmine of information to improve your musicianship and technical ability. Here are some FAQs and our...
What’s your favorite kind of jam session? Do you love playing in unison with other fiddlers or do you prefer to be the only one in the hot seat? Do you prefer taking improvised solos on the fly or playing crafted breakdowns? Do you like to sing or is that best left to...
In honor of Mothers’ Day, we reached out to one of our favorite jam buddies and dear friends, Sydney Green, to talk to her about what it’s like to be the mother of three kids who fiddle. She offered lots...
"When will I get good?" This is the question I dislike the most as a teacher, and yet all of us have asked it at one point or another. I’ve even had several students tell me that if they couldn’t “get good” soon, they would quit. And I get it: I often catch myself...
In honor of St Paddy’s Day, we want to give a nod to the Irish origins of the music we love so much. Texas-style fiddle has origins around the world and owes its heritage to immigrants and enslaved people who each contributed their own rich history to the nascent...