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2024 Fiddle Retreat Classes

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Classes listed in blue are predominantly for fiddle. Classes in red type indicate instruments other than fiddle are welcome!

If you have questions about classes, your playing level or about festival logistics, feel free to contact our festival office. upperpotomac@gmail.com (304 263-2531)

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Class 1 – Saturday 9:30am-11:30 am

  • Adv. Beg. - Int. Double Stops and Theory From an Old-Time Fiddlers Perspective  (Tessa McCoy)   We'll go over all of the double stops an old-time fiddler should get comfortable with and talk about common old-time theory from a fiddlers perspective. No previous knowledge of theory necessary! Students should bring a recording device (cell phone) and will get a handout to take home with visualized class topics.

  • Int. Great Tunes from the Quebecqis Dance Repertoire (Pascal Gemme)   Learn a few dance tunes  from Quebec that work for Contra Dance and stylistic variations and techniques to make it danceable and fun!

  • Int.- Adv. Guitar and Mandolin in Contra Land  (Paul Oorts)   Explore the possibilities and limitations of the two instrument in a Contra Band context

  • Int.- Adv. Microtones in Irish Music  (Armand Aromin)  You've endeavored to play in-tune. Great! Now, let's get "out-of-tune" just like they did back in the day. Get your fiddle's money's worth and take advantage of the fretlessness your instrument has to offer.

  • Int. - Adv. Unusual tunings for Advanced Old Time Fiddling  (Chance McCoy)  Delve into some fascinating tunings used for a handful of advanced old time fiddle tunes. This class will breakdown some of the masterpieces of the Appalachian repertoire and focus on the techniques required to execute them.               

 

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Class 2 – Saturday 1:30-3:30pm​

  •  Adv. Beg.- Int.  Intro to Québécois Fiddling  (Pascal Gemme)    If you are curious about the music of La Belle Province then this workshops is for you.  You’ll have the possibility of learning the best ever easy tune in the Quebecois lexicon:  «The Demon Step» better know as «La gigue du démon», the devil being an important figure in Québecois myths and traditions.

  •  Int.  Intermediate Old-Time Repertoire and Technique Builder  (Tessa McCoy)   This taught-by-ear class will be great for the fiddler that already plays a number of common jam tunes. We'll work on some new but still jam friendly tunes that use bowing techniques that can be used in many old-time fiddle tunes. Melodies will be broken down into short sections with specific bowing patterns to give the tunes intended phrasing. Students should bring a recording device.

  • Int.- Adv. Trip around Europe  (Paul Oorts)    Learn a few from Pauls extensive repertoire from a variety of places on the Continent!  

  •  Int.- Adv. Triple Meter Bowing in Irish Music  (Armand Aromin)  Learn interchangeable bowings for Irish tunes in 6/8, 9/8, 12/8, and 3/4, i.e., double/single/hop/slip jigs, slides, waltzes, mazurkas, and, and, and...!

  •  Int.- Adv.  Old Time Guitar of Pre-War Virginia  (Chance McCoy)  In this class we will venture outside common chords and rhythm and explore the 1920’s approach to mountain guitar. Explore the creativity early recording artists used when the guitar was newly introduced to rural areas and how they adapted it to their rare repertoire of local old time songs and ballads. 

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Saturday Mini Classes -3:45- 4:45pm 

Lilting Jam  (Armand Aromin)  All levels, by ear, NO instruments allowed. Let's play some tunes, but with our voices! We'll vocalize tunes from various traditions with whatever comes out of our faces. Perfect for instrumentalists to further internalize melodies, and for the non-instrumentalist or singer who wants to partake in the musicking.

A bouquet of simple tunes that have awesome groove! (Pascal Gemme) All levels all instruments.

Musescore (Paul Oorts) Learn how to use this effective tool to save and share your music.

Old Time Dance Band Warm-up  (Chance and Tessa) Select and review medleys for the dance!

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Class 3 – Sunday  9:30am-11:30 am â€‹

  • All Levels. Polka Pulse Bowing   (Armand Aromin)   Learn the Sliabh Luachra way of playing polkas. Add dimension and depth to your music, and see how it can be applied elsewhere (slow airs and old time tunes, anyone?)

  • All Levels  Western Maryland Old Time Tunes for Mixed Instruments  (Chance McCoy)    Abel Browning was born in Allegheny County, Maryland in 1855, a master old time fiddler he recorded a set of tunes in 1938 at the age of 83. These tunes offer a unique glimpse into 1800s fiddling from Maryland, superbly executed by an exceptional fiddler.

  • All Levels Learn an easy French song and how to accompany it with your fiddle  (Pascal Gemme)  We will learn the song -La Laine Des Moutons- and learn to accompany it on the fiddle.  The melody is simple.  Basic foot tapping will be thought at this workshop.

  • Int.-Adv. New Tunes in the English Dance Repertoire  (Paul Oorts)    Come and learn some tunes that are not in Barnes that have been recently written selected by our favorite regional callers.

  • Adv. Old-Time Tunes From Monroe County, WV  (Tessa McCoy)   The way we bow whether slurred or separate can completely change emphasis and style in tunes. It is one of the most important aspects of fiddling. We will focus on reels and jigs and how to get the right lilt and accent.  

 

Class 4 – Sunday 1:30-3:30 pm​

  • All Levels. Tiny Tunes (Armand Aromin)   Tiny tunes are melodies that are over before you finish reading this description. They're quick to pick up, and fun to jam and meditate on for longer than you thought was comfortably possible. There will be a minimum of Ukrainian, Hungarian, Breton, and Baroque tunes.                    

  • All Levels Old-Time Songs From West Virginia Women  (Tessa McCoy)  This all levels class will give our hands a break and give us a chance to explore the singing of some of West Virginia's both well known and lesser known women singers. I'll show some recordings and videos that I've come across over the years, as well as perform some with a singalong at the end.

  • Int.  The quintessential sound of old-time Quebec:  La Galope  (Pascal Gemme)   Come learn a style you are probably not familiar with.  The galope is principally found in the Quebec City region of «La Belle Province» and consists of «singsongy» melodies that are used to dance the quadrilles.  These melodies are twice as long as a common reel.        

  • Int. -Adv.  Fiddle Blues (Chance McCoy) Learn some of the long lost fiddling blues repertoire recorded by early African American string bands. .                                          

 

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