Good Technique = Good Playing
In order to play the violin and the fiddle well, you must have good technique. You must know how to hold the instrument, how to finger the strings, and how to use the bow properly. Bad habits are all too easy to develop and all too hard to get rid of. Regardless of what musical tradition or traditions you wish to follow, you must be technically proficient to succeed.
I have found that the "Talent Education" or "Mother Tongue Technique" developed by Shinichi Suzuki has no equal in developing good violin technique. By pairing it with the Mark O'Connor Method, Classical Fiddle students are able to become equally skilled and at ease in both the fiddle and the classical sides of the instrument. They get the chance to learn all the violin can do and how much fun it can be.
What is Classical Fiddle?
If you or your child want to learn how to play both classical violin AND traditional fiddle, Classical Fiddle is for you. Classical Fiddle students excel in orchestras, chamber groups, and traditional fiddle settings. We do this by using both the Suzuki Violin Method and its American cousin, the O'Connor Violin Method. Alongside Bach and Vivaldi, Classical Fiddle students learn American standards like Amazing Grace, Soldier's Joy, and The Arkansas Traveler. I also encourage students to bring in tunes to learn of their own choosing or from my own Nordic and Celtic fiddle repertoire.
I have developed this method to make sure students get the chance to become skilled in many of the traditions the violin is capable of. I strive to help the student discover the joy, hear the beauty, and understand how to musically express themselves in multiple ways.
Suzuki and O'Connor Methods
Alongside the proven Suzuki Method, I teach the O'Connor Violin Method developed by America's preeminent fiddler, Mark O'Connor.