Old time music is one of the many folk traditions of our country. It encompasses many different regional styles of playing and singing, which developed in rural communities, particularly those of the American South, back when the easiest way to hear music was to play it yourself. It is played on acoustic instruments like fiddle, guitar, and banjo, and includes dance tunes, ballads and other folk songs, religious music, and solo instrumental tunes. This distinctively American music developed as traditional songs, instruments, and tunes of Europe, Britain, Ireland, and Africa were combined into new traditions and sounds, passed down aurally from person to person.
Old time music is social music, music that you play and sing with others for your own entertainment as well as for dances – it developed alongside square dancing and clogging – and in concert. Nowadays, old time music provides a link to the past and a way to build community around music and dance in our modern society. It is beautiful and fun to play, the perfect genre to learn if you are interested in making music with others and learning about our country’s musical and cultural roots.
See below for opportunities to learn old time fiddle.
If you’ve been playing old-time music on fiddle, clawhammer banjo, or guitar for a while and are ready to meet and play with other people, then this class is for you! Students learn new tunes, get practice jamming, work on their technique, and become part of a warm and welcoming community of musicians. Teachers Maggie Lind, Patrick Lind, and Sophie Enloe offer three eight-week sessions of Stringband Class each year.
To find out more, check out our website.
I teach several group fiddle classes a year, ranging from beginning to advanced. Please see my calendar or contact me to find out about upcoming classes.
I offer private old time fiddle lessons for children and adults (for kids, I combine fiddle with Suzuki lessons. See my Suzuki studio page). All levels of playing are welcome. For more information about lessons, please contact me.