Tune - April 2007

This monthly feature kicks off with a detailed and fully-styled transcription of a fiddle tune from Donna's extensive collection, along with audio tracks. Future tunes may also be scored for viola, some for cello - come back every month to check out what new tune is up!

April's tune, from "A Practical Guide," is Swallowtail Jig, with basic and Irish settings for G clef (violin/fiddle) and audio samples played slow and fast. The rhythm and bowing lesson here is on slurring into the downbeat and starting phrases on an upbow. Try it for that lovely, light, jiggy sound. For the left hand, there's a lesson on playing a jig roll, flicks and smears.

This month, in honor of our first issue, there's a second tune - check out Brasstown Boogie! Next month look for Isidore's Reel - a crooked tune from the repertoire of Franco-American fiddler Louis Beaudoin! This tune will be available for violin, viola and cello, with audio tracks.

Fiddling Demystified: A Practical Guide for String Players by Donna Hébert, is a "veritable encyclopedia of fiddling" says Albany NY fiddler and teacher Jane Rothfield, while string wizard Darol Anger says "Donna gets it all right," and in his foreword to her new instructional resource for fiddlers, violinists, violists, cellists and string teachers, further predicts that "the general level of fiddle knowledge and playing will take a major uptick soon after Fiddling Demystified is published." The book has 70 pages, two 65-minute lesson CDs, a 20-page style guide, 31 authentically styled tunes with chords, bowings, ornaments and detailed style lessons. Table of contents with tune and lesson list. New catalog of fiddle books, CDs and DVDs from Donna, George Wilson, Renata Bratt, Jane Rothfield and Alan Jabbour.

	Jamming at Fiddling Demystified Camp 2006. George Wilson, below.(Amherst Bulletin, both photos)

Fiddling Demystified Summer Camp features master fiddlers Donna Hébert and George Wilson from August 6-10 at the Guiding Star Grange Hall in Greenfield MA. The day camp - a five-day fiddle intensive for 16 participants - begins with an hour of supervised jamming, with classes through 4 pm and a lunch break. Perfect for teachers or string players (fiddlers, violinists, violists, cellists) of at least intermediate level, this camp cracks the codes of fiddle styles and rhythms with an easy-to-remember right-left hand method. George's "Bowing 747" class will teach shuffles, driven bows, syncopation, snaps and triplets and Donna will demonstrate how to learn bowings by ear. Learn to re-voice, adapt and ornament fiddle music on the viola or cello. Learn to read a chord chart, find harmonies, bass lines and backup riffs. Private evening lessons are also available in backup piano and in lead, backup, fingerstyle and DADGAD guitar. Thursday evening potluck and jam at the hall. Dance gypsies can stay in the area for the Friday and Saturday night dances at the Guiding Star Grange Hall. PDF of camp brochure - outside - inside.

Fiddling Demystified Workshops Donna and Renata Bratt at 2006 Mark O'Connor's San Diego Strings Conference, where they met and played together while on the faculty. Renata edited the cello settings for Fiddling Demystified: A Practical Guide for String Players.

Donna teaches a Fiddling Demystified Workshop in Weston MA for the MA ASTA Chapter on 4/29/07. Check the calendar at right to register. Donna also teachs with Groovemama members Jane Rothfield, George Wilson, Max Cohen and Stuart Kenney and with California cellist Renata Bratt. Jane Ezbicki, 2006 President of the Massachusetts String Teachers' Association, after a 2006 workshop with the Wayland MA High School Orchestra, remarked, "Donna and her colleagues changed the way my students and I think about fiddling. They actually helped us to feel confident enough to turn our music over, close our eyes and play independently." Workshops and residencies are available for college string departments, school string programs and orchestras, private studios, Suzuki and ASTA conferences.

Fiddling with A French Accent at the John C. Campbell Folk School, Brasstown NC - January 2007

	Brasstown boogied to this French-Canadian fiddling class in January 2007!
Donna, Fletcher Bright and Jean Griffin jamming on a north/south setting of Ste. Anne's Reel.

Donna began 2007 with a week in residence at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown NC, where she taught French-Canadian fiddling to a class of 16 fiddlers and violinists. Some learned only by ear and some only from sight-reading, but by week's end, Donna had lured most of them off the page and into harmonies, backup riffs and bow aerobics. Class member William McElveen from Alabama dubbed her a "national treasure" and class members have been swapping photos and class CDs with each other every since. Chattanooga fiddler Fletcher Bright visited the class and played the Tuesday night dance with Donna. Fletcher will teach at the Folk School in January 2008 and he and Donna will play together in the Chattanooga area in fall 2007. "The food and accommodations at Brasstown are delicious and comfortable, the Smokies are a splendid backdrop and this fiddle class was the most focused of any group class I have ever taught. I can't wait to go back!" said Donna upon her return. Donna's tune PDF of "Brasstown Boogie" written there in 1984. Audio "Brasstown/ Uncle Bob's Boogie" by Groovemama. In addition to teaching Fiddling Demystified workshops alone and with quintet Groovemama and with California cellist Renata Bratt, Donna also teaches "Fiddling with a French Accent" workshops.

The Great Groove Band at the Old Songs and Philadelphia Folk Festivals, June and August 2007

Old Songs Great Groove Band in rehearsal and in concert- R. Mock, B. Spence photos

The Great Groove Band of school-age musicians is a yearly phenomenon at both the Old Songs Festival since 2000 and the Philadelphia Folk Festival since 2006. Groovemama members Donna Hébert, Jane Rothfield, George Wilson, Stuart Kenney and Max Cohen coach string, percussion, flute and wind players over the three or four days of the festival, culminating in a main stage performance on Sunday. Tunes are drawn from the Great Groove Band tune book and CD. Parents sign their kids up for the band when they register for the festival.

This summer will see the first Great Groove Band Summer Camp, sponsored by Old Songs in Voorheesville NY at the Old Songs building. Camp runs from July 9-13 and is open to ages 6-18. Teaching will be Donna, Jane, George and Max. For more information, you can download a PDF of the camp brochure.

Coming next month . . .

The Beaudoin Project - Vermont Folklife Center receives Grammy grant for preservating the family archives in digital form. Tune of the month from Louis Beaudoin!

Chanterelle - Josée Vachon returns to performing after a year of cancer treatment with the band at the Blackstone River Theater in RI in May and at the Mystic Sea Music Festival in June.

Jam Session CD - Fiddling Demystified Vol I - 31 tunes played in medleys by Groovemama

FIDDLE CALENDAR
Fiddling around with Artists' Roster members Donna Hébert, Jane Rothfield, George Wilson, Stuart Kenney, Max Cohen and cellist Renata Bratt at concerts, festivals, residencies and summer camps.

4/14 Greenfield MA 8 pm Guiding Star Grange	Four fiddlers! Donna Hébert, George Wilson, David Kaynor, Van Kaynor - Mary Cay Brass, piano. Tophill Contradance.
4/22 Troy NY 8 pm Brunswick Grange	George Wilson - contradance w/John Kirk & Trish Miller
4/22 Mansfield MA - NEFFA Festival	Jane Rothfield with Jane’s Gang  www.neffa.org
4/22 Milford NY	Jane Rothfield with Jane’s Gang - contradance
4/29 Weston MA - MA ASTA Chapter.  12-5 pm - Jane Ezbicki contact	Donna Hébert teaches Fiddling Demystified for String Players. Learn a whole tune by ear, with chords, bowings, harmonies and variations! ASTA members free
5/4 Cumberland RI - 8 pm Blackstone River Theater	CHANTERELLE in concert: Donna Hébert, Josée Vachon, Liza Constable and Alan Bradbury
5/6 Fitchburg MA - Fitchburg Public Library	CHANTERELLE in concert: Donna Hébert, Josée Vachon, Liza Constable
5/6 Albany NY - contradance	Burhmaster Barn Contra Dance - Jane Rothfield with Jane’s Gang
5/10 Niskayuna NY - Jane Rothfield Fiddle Studio	Donna Hébert teaches Fiddling Demystified for String Players: workshop, private lessons. Contact Jane Rothfield to register.
5/18-20 Lowell MA - Banjo Camp North	Jane Rothfield teaches beginning banjo at Banjo Camp North, Lowell, Mass www.mugwumps.com/bcn.html
6/9 Amherst MA - contradance	Munson Library Dance with Jane’s Gang
6/9-10 Mystic CT - Mystic Seaport, Sea Music Festival	CHANTERELLE in concert: Donna Hébert, Josée Vachon, Liza Constable and Alan Bradbury
6/11-23 Vail CO - Colorado Suzuki Institute	Renata Bratt: Instructor in jazz and fiddling for cellists
6/16 Poughkeepsie NY - contradance	George Wilson with pianist Selma Kaplan
6/16 Lenox MA - contradance	Jane Rothfield with Bill Mathiessen and Liz Stell www.lenoxcontradance.org
6/22-24 Altamont NY Old Songs Festival	Groovemama (Donna Hébert, Jane Rothfield, George Wilson, Stuart Kenney, Max Cohen) coaches Old Songs Festival Great Groove Band
6/23-7/1 Nevada City CA  summer camp	Renata Bratt at Alasdair Fraser's Fiddle Camp
7/7 Grafton NY Bicentennial	George Wilson with Whippersnappers - contradance
7/9-13 Voorheesville NY - summer camp	Great Groove Band Summer Day Camp coached by Groovemama members Donna Hébert, Jane Rothfield, George Wilson, Max Cohen - register Old Songs Inc.
7/13-16 Southern Tour - Jane Rothfield	Jane Rothfield on tour with Barb Kirchner and Susan Burke  (The Sensations) down south! Dates TBD
7/15-20 Greenville SC - SC Suzuki Institute	Renata Bratt: Instructor in jazz & fiddling for cellists at Furman University
7/28-9 Lowell MA - Lowell Folk Festival	The Beaudoin Project performs - Nina Beaudoin, Carmen & Glenn Bombardier, George Wilson, Donna Hébert & others
7/30-8/3 San Diego CA	Renata Bratt:Instructor in jazz & fiddling for cellists at Strings by the Sea
8/4-5 N. Ferrisburg VT - Champlain Valley Festival	The Beaudoin Project performs - Nina Beaudoin, Carmen & Glenn Bombardier, George Wilson, Donna Hébert & others
8/6-10 Greenfield MA - Fiddling Demystified Camp	George Wilson, Donna Hébert teach Fiddling Demystified for String Players
8/10 NYC - Contradance	Jane Rothfield with Barb Kirchner & The Sensations www.cdny.org
8/16-19 Schwenksville PA Philadelphia Folk Festival	Groovemama coaches Great Groove Band at Philly Folk Festival
8/24-9/1 Boulder Creek CA Valley of the Moon Scottish Fiddling School	Renata Bratt: Instructor in cello grooves and fiddle tunes for cellists
9/10 Amherst MA Fiddle/Improv Class begins	Donna Hébert teaches Fiddling Demystified Fiddle/Improv class through Mon. Dec. 10
9/12 Amherst MA Novice Fiddle Class begins	Donna Hébert teaches Fiddling Demystified Novice Class through Weds. Dec. 12
9/23 Amherst MA Fiddling with a French Accent workshop & DVD release party	Donna Hébert teaches Fiddling with a French Accent - French tunes from Canada and New England. DVD with 12 favorite tunes, lessons, sheet music, interview

CONTACT US: info@fiddlingdemystified.com

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© 2007 Donna Hébert, fiddlingdemystified.com | Designer: Donna Hébert. P. Gonyer, R. Mock photos.  Violin Bach/Blue artwork © daniele todaro www.todaro.com