The fiddle workshop will focus primarily on how to help your fiddling sound better and more driving. It will be geared toward learning how to use bow pulses, bowing phrases, and note combinations to give fiddle tunes a shape. In learning these things we will also explore ways to be more consistent players, and how important that is in terms of leadership in jams. This will not be a repertoire heavy class, but rather using a tune or two that utilize certain helpful techniques, and really working hard to know them before you leave. There will be lots of playing time, as fingers on strings is the best way to take home what you learn!

This workshop is aimed at players who can already play their fiddle/violin at a basic level. The tunes will be taught by ear so you don’t need to read music, and video and audio recording is allowed.

Rachel Eddy learned to fiddle growing up just outside of Morgantown, WV, and has taught hundreds of students over the years to play fiddle, banjo and guitar.  In 2007 Rachel moved to Nashville, TN to make her solo record ‘Hand on the Plow’, backed by Tim O’Brien, Mark Schatz, and more.  After having spent 2008-2014 living in Stockholm, Sweden and traveling extensively throughout Europe playing Old-time music, she is happy to report that coming back to the US has been wonderfully productive!  Currently she splits her music time teaching and pogromming primarily between Morgantown WV, Pittsburgh PA, Washington DC and Baltimore.  Rachel performs regularly with an all woman group called The Early Mays, with the Brad and Ken Kolodner Trio, and as a solo artist.

Rachel will also be running a clawhammer banjo workshop before her fiddle workshop, as well as performing at the Harrison at 8pm that evening, so there’ll be plenty of chances to learn from her and hear her in action!