John Weed, fiddler for Molly’s Revenge and New World String Project, is a classically-trained violinist who has spent the last 25 years immersed in various fiddle styles. With an affinity for folk traditions, John’s exploration has emphasized Irish, Scottish, Swedish, and Old-Time fiddle. While he holds a bachelor’s degree of music from CSU Chico, the musical education that charted his path began through a long series of Irish sessions. There, he learned the nuance of aural passing of melodies and the tradition of conversing in a deeply musical manner. John’s passion for the vital expressiveness of the session lead to performing across the United States and internationally. In addition to being a full time performer and instructor, John is currently on faculty at Palenke Arts, a multicultural arts organization in Seaside, California.
John Weed – Intermediate Celtic Fiddle
Embark on a trip across the Atlantic to the Emerald Isles… Here we will venture into a fiddle-fueled land of jigs, reels, and hornpipes — the instrumental dance music of Ireland! In this class we will learn tunes by ear using a phrase by phrase approach. We will cover ornamentation, bow-patterns, and apply sauce to the tunes we learn. Learning tempo recordings and examples will be provided, and sheet music will be available for those that wish. Participants may video tricks and ornamentation examples as this is often helpful. At a convenient time, we hope to take a field trip to the Celtic mandolin class and join forces!