Fiddle Tunes started in 1977 as the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes, maybe the first in the nation. It’s a week-long, total-immersion workshop with a hallmark of presenting an expansive array of fiddle styles from specific geographic regions of the world. The workshop provides an opportunity to be in community with the bearers of fiddle traditions, and you will discover culture through music, learn music in a cultural context, and build lifelong relationships in the fiddle music community.
Workshops, classes, band labs, tutorials, dances, concerts, singing, open jams, hat parties, gumbo – all contribute to participants’ experience. The main teaching emphasis is on the fiddle, but you’ll find day-long instruction on many other instruments. Most of the fiddlers on staff choose their own accompanist, so the instruction on backup instruments varies each year. There will always be banjos and guitars, and often mandolin, button accordion, piano accordion, piano, singing, clogging, string bass, and social dance.
You’ll learn by the time-honored method of the oral tradition – close observation and personal experimentation.
Experience Fiddle Tunes
Workshops
FIDDLE TUNES WORKSHOPS
Check-in starts at 4pm on the first day, followed by dinner in the Commons. After dinner you can listen to an in-house showcase concert, and then attend a welcoming dance on a wooden floor. The next morning there will be an extensive orientation where we’ll introduce everyone who is teaching during the week.
There are two categories of staff – the faculty and the tutors.
FACULTY: During the week each faculty person will teach four classes, lead an afternoon band lab, play for an evening dance, and play in one in-house performance and one public performance. Classes and band labs are open to all. In a band lab, you’ll be a part of a group learning to play in that faculty member’s style. You’ll learn what makes that style sound like it does – slurs, slides, bowing, ornaments, tempo, etc. Each band lab will play in the band lab concert on Saturday morning.
There is also a Beginners’ Band Lab, which is a band lab for beginning-level musicians, and a Teen Band Lab for younger folks.
TUTORS: Tutorials are offered in the morning. Tutorials are designed to address the needs of beginning and beginning/intermediate players who wish more individualized instruction on their instrument; they will focus on technique. Intermediate level tutorials include technique, and tend to focus on style. In many cases, the intermediate tutorials will be in the musical styles presented by the faculty. Tutorial sessions are open to all.
You will also find tutors hosting jam sessions with a spirit of graceful encouragement, playing for dances, and generally being a welcoming and helpful presence throughout the week.
Other Events During the Week
• In-house concerts showcasing the faculty
• Two concurrent social and couple dances every night
• Public performances
• Multiple hosted jams each night
• Spontaneous workshops in the wild-card slot
• Dance classes
and LOTS of jamming
Faculty
Fiddle Tunes Faculty
Cláudio Rabeca Band
Cláudio Rabeca is a fiddle player, composer, singer, teacher, music producer and luthier from the Northeast of Brasil. For more than 20 years he has fiddled, sang, and played percussion with multiple Brasilian groups, including 11 years with the forró group Quarteto Olinda. After he dedicated himself fully to the fiddle, he found that the instrument informed his creative process and is the basis for his singing.…
Allison De Groot
Faculty
Banjo virtuoso Allison de Groot is known for her great clawhammer technique, exquisite tone, timing, and taste. She has deep roots in the old time tradition and yet she’s fearless when it comes to breaking new ground. In addition to playing with Molsky’s Mountain Drifters, she is also member of the super group the Goodbye Girls, and tours often with the Tatiana Hargreaves.
Foghorn String Band
The Foghorn Stringband is the present day gold standard for real-deal hard-hitting genuine old-time American string band music, with nine albums, thousands of shows, over 15 years of touring under their belts, and an entirely new generation of roots musicians following their lead.
Rick Good
Faculty
One of the founders of the famous string band, The Hotmud Family, Rick Good is an accomplished guitarist, banjo player, singer and songwriter. A performer of traditional and original music, Good’s career has spanned nearly four decades.
Tatiana Hargreaves
Faculty
Over the past decade, Tatiana Hargreaves has been on the forefront of an up and coming generation of old time, bluegrass and new acoustic musicians. From placing first at the Clifftop Appalachian Fiddle Contest, to her bluegrass fiddling on Laurie Lewis’ GRAMMY-nominated album The Hazel And Alice Sessions, Hargreaves shows a musical fluency that flows between old time and bluegrass worlds with ease.
Jim Nelson
Faculty
Jim Nelson is a veteran of the old-time music scene, having honed his guitar skills through many years of playing with senior dance fiddlers, especially Bob Holt of Ava, Missouri and Lotus Dickey of Paoli, Indiana, and by keeping a close eye on some of the older guitar players. He has been playing with Geoff Seitz for the past 40 years, and along with Geoff and Curt Buckhannon.
Phil and Russ Tanner
Gid Tanner was a farmer in Dacula, Georgia, and played the fiddle on the side. By 1926, he and other musicians such as Clayton McMichen on fiddle and Riley Puckett on guitar, created a group called Gid Tanner and the Skillet Lickers
Liette Remon
Faculty
Liette grew up in the Gaspesie region of Quebec in a small municipality called Petit-Pabos. Music happened only at home, when her father’s fiddler friends would drop by, and at family get-togethers, once or twice a week, where music (along with a glass of gin and food) was the focus. They’d mainly sing popular songs, with traditional songs and fiddle tunes mixed in among them.
Ann Savoy
Faculty
Ann Savoy is a musician, an author, a record producer, and a photographer. Her most recent endeavor is the acclaimed newly released “Adieu False Heart”, a CD of duets with the legendary Linda Ronstadt. As a musician she, has played guitar, fiddle, and accordion and traveled throughout the world with her husband accordionist Marc Savoy and fiddler Michael Doucet in the Savoy Doucet Cajun Band, with her all-woman band The Magnolia Sisters. and with Marc and their talented sons in the Savoy Family Band.
Joel Savoy
Artistic Director
Son of Cajun music icons Marc and Ann, Joel Savoy is best described as an instigator. He has been at the forefront of the Louisiana music revival of the last 20 years and as a result he has become a highly visible figure in the American roots music community, placing him onstage alongside folks like John Fogerty, Linda Ronstadt, Steve Earle, and T-Bone Burnett.…
Wilson Savoy
Faculty
Wilson was born into a musical family in Eunice, Louisiana, and grew up surrounded by Cajun music among other styles. As a teenager, under the spell of Jerry Lee Lewis and Ray Charles, Wilson fell in love with rock n’ roll and blues piano, and taught himself to play. A little later, he picked up one of his dad’s accordions, and later still, Cajun fiddle.
Geoff Seitz
Faculty
Geoff Seitz has been playing music since age eight and has been playing fiddle for over 45 years. Throughout his years of fiddling, Geoff sought out traditional master fiddlers and learned tunes in the old time style. Although Geoff has spent many hours with the Missouri Valley and Ozark fiddlers, he also learned from Appalachian fiddlers as well as fiddlers
Katie Shore
Faculty
Like many fiddlers, Katie was inspired at a young age by her grandfather. At six years old she told her parents she wanted to “play music you can clap your hands and stomp your feet to”. Hailing from Ft. Worth “Cowtown”, Tx, Katie grew up playing in a world of strong fiddle traditions, attending fiddle contests, music camps such as Mark O’Connor’s and Johnny Gimble’s, and with some classical training, was part of the Ft Worth Youth Orchestra
Daniel Steinberg
Faculty
Daniel has been a musical performer and teacher for over 45 years, with a particular fascination with the traditional music and dance from diverse cultures around the world. He plays piano and flute with the contra dance band Hillbillies from Mars and with New England fiddler Rodney Miller, and has performed with many luminaries of the fiddle music scene, as well as several Latin American and African ensembles.
Alasdair White
Faculty
Alasdair White is an exceptional exponent of west coast Scottish music and is widely regarded as one of the foremost Scottish fiddler players of his generation. He was born and brought up on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, a chain of islands of singular importance to Gaelic Scotland’s musical heritage and is perhaps best known as having been a member of Scotland’s seminal Battlefield Band for over 16 years.
George Wilson
Faculty
George has performed and recorded with the popular “Fennig’s All-Star String Band”, featuring Bill Spence on hammered dulcimer, since 1975. He has performed and recorded with the “Whippersnappers” (Wilson, Peter Davis and Frank Orsini) since 1976.
Linzay Young
Faculty
Linzay is a versatile fiddler, soulful singer and a talented songwriter. A founding member of the notorious Red Stick Ramblers of Louisiana, he is a true link in the chain of Cajun Music and Culture whether he’s wielding a fiddle bow, playing his accordion or cooking in a blackpot.
Tuition
FIDDLE TUNES TUITION
Centrum has a variety of ways to be able to attend our workshops even if you’re on a budget. If you need financial assistance, Centrum has a robust scholarship program awarded on a first-come, first-served; and as-needed basis.Costs
Adult and Under-18 tuition includes admission to everything – workshops, in-house and public concerts, dances, and jams.
Adult tuition: $610
Under-18 tuition: $300
Teen Track tuition: $100
Kids Track tuition: $50
On-line audit tuition: $100
Private Room only: $355
All meals: $345
Lunches only (5): $95
FAQ
FIDDLE TUNES FAQ
ScholarshipsIf you need financial assistance, Centrum has a robust scholarship program. Apply online as you register. Please note that except in rare cases, scholarships are available for tuition only. Centrum requires a $100 deposit of scholarship applicants, which is fully refundable before May 30 if you are unable to attend.
If you are interested in volunteering, or a work trade position, please contact Peter McCracken at peter@centrum (dot) org.
Cancellation policy:
A deposit of $300 is due upon registration, $50 of which is non-refundable.
Any fee that includes a room: no refunds are available after May 30, 2023.
Tuition, meals only, shuttle: no refunds are available after June 5, 2023.
Room & Board
Most participants stay in private dormitory rooms at Fort Worden. You may reserve a dorm room with no meal ticket (there is a limited number of this option). There is also a limited number of double rooms, i.e., rooms with two beds. If you’d like a double, please request one, and list another registered participant who has signed up for room and board in order to share that room. It is first come, first served.
All meals are served at the Fort Worden Commons. The first meal is dinner on July 3; the last meal is breakfast on July 9.
Fiddle Tunes Travel Tips
Book flights to arrive July 3 by 1pm Pacific Time and depart no earlier than noon on the 21st. Port Townsend is two hours from Sea/Tac on a good day.
If you’re interested in transportation from SeaTac Airport to Fort Worden, choose the shuttle option for when you register. The shuttle costs: $120 round-trip or $60 one-way.
Fiddle Tunes shuttle schedule:
Arrive – Monday, July 3, 2023, pick-up at SeaTac airport, 2:30pm, Pacific Time.
Depart – Monday, July 10, 2023, depart Centrum at Port Townsend, 9am, Pacific Time.
If you have any further questions, please contact Peter McCracken at 360-385-3102, x127, or peter@centrum (dot) org.
Newcomers
NEW TO FIDDLE TUNES?
Given that Fiddle Tunes Artistic Director Joel Savoy first attended the festival with his family when he was three-years-old, we happily welcome both beginners and minor children.Our morning tutorials are designed to enrich the beginner’s skillset with individualized instruction focusing on technique. Other intermediate tutorials also include technique, but tend to focus on style. Tutorial sessions are designed to be smaller and are open to all.
While the next two faculty workshop slots before and after lunch are usually geared toward intermediate and above, we encourage all skill levels to take part in these opportunities. The people on staff are active tradition-bearers, and they share more than their music. You might not open your case at these sessions. Rather, you’ll be in listening mode, soaking your head in a certain style, listening to stories, understanding the context in which this person’s music is played “back home.”
In the afternoons, please join the Beginners Band Lab where all beginning-level players of any instrument are welcome. You’ll get an idea about how exciting it is to play with other people. The Beginners Band will play for a dance if they’d like, and also in the Band Lab concert on Saturday morning.
Beginners
FIDDLE TUNES FOR BEGINNERS
What might a beginning musician expect at Fiddle Tunes? The gathering welcomes people of all abilities, but it’s not uncommon for beginning musicians to feel frustrated at Fiddle Tunes. Here’s what to expect.
The first slot in the morning is dedicated to tutorials. Beginning-level tutorials are designed to address the needs of beginning and beginning/intermediate players who wish for more individualized instruction on their instrument; they will focus on technique. Intermediate level tutorials include technique and tend to focus on style. In many cases, the intermediate tutorials will be in the musical styles presented by the faculty.
The next morning slot, and the one after lunch, are dedicated to workshops led by the faculty. These players were invited to the festival as representatives of a certain style of music, one that they learned from their family and neighbors. Some are experienced teachers, many are not. In an effort to present them appropriately, they receive no guidelines from Centrum as to what level they should teach – it’s their choice. Most teach at an intermediate and above level.
Even though most of these classes are not geared towards beginners, we think it’s critically important that you attend these sessions. The people on staff are active tradition-bearers, and they share more than their music. You might not open your case at these sessions. Rather, you’ll be in listening mode, soaking your head in a certain style, listening to stories, understanding the context in which this person’s music is played “back home.”
In the afternoon you can join the Beginners Band Lab – all beginning-level players of any instrument are invited. You’ll get an idea about how exciting it is to play with other people. The Beginners Band will play in the Band Lab concert on Saturday morning.
We hope this information is helpful to you in deciding whether the workshop might be a good fit. Being among so many players can be overwhelming, but it helps to know what to expect. If you have any more questions, feel free to call Peter McCracken at 360-385-3102, x127, or peter@centrum (dot) org.
Kids & Teens
FIDDLE TUNES KIDS & TEENS
Fiddle Tunes is proudly an inter-generational gathering, welcoming musicians of all ages to participate.The Kids Track
The Kids Track is a morning-only program geared towards people from the ages of five to twelve, running from 9am to noon, Tuesday through Friday, with a Saturday performance.
9–10:30am: Fiddling for Kids. (On Tuesday this class meets from 10:30am-12pm)
Young participants are broken into groups based on ability, starting at the VERY beginning (“here’s how to hold a bow”). Every effort is made to integrate the more advanced groups with the styles of music of the faculty at Fiddle Tunes.
10:30am–12pm: Play Party Games or Kids Band Lab (this class does not meet on Tuesday)
Kids have two choices in this time slot: either play party games, or join the Kids Band Lab. The Kids Band is directly aligned to one of the faculty members’ styles, and will play for a dance and in the band lab concert at the end of the week. All instruments are welcome in the Kids Band Lab.
Participants who are registered in the Kids Track receive free admission to all performances, public and private, and are welcome at the evening dances as well.
The Kids Track is only available to children of registered participants, or to kids with a local zip code (98368, 98339, 98358, 98365, 98325). There is a limit of 50 Kids Track slots. Parents considering registering their child in the Kids Track should be prepared to check in their child between 8:45am and 9am, and check out their child at noon.
The Teen Track
The Teen Track is designed for players age 13-18. All abilities are welcome. This track is intended for players who want to learn with their peers, or for players too advanced for the Kids Track. Teen Track tuition includes admission to everything – workshops, in-house concerts, dances, etc., and great seats at all public performances.
Teen Track participants must be accompanied by a registered adult with the following exception: if you are local and your teen won’t be staying at Fort Worden, you may come in to the Centrum office and sign a waiver.
The schedule looks like this:
Tuesday, July 4:
9–10am: All-camp orientation in McCurdy Pavilion
Fiddle Tunes faculty introductions. Faculty members demonstrate their style and give a brief talk about what they’ll be teaching.
10:30am-12pm: Fiddling for Teens (exclusive to the teen track)
Lunch
1:30pm – Public Performance in McCurdy Pavilion
7:30pm – Faculty Showcase Concert
Wednesday-Friday, July 5-7
9:15am–10:15am – Tutorials: technical instruction on fiddle, banjo, guitar
10:45am–12pm – Fiddling for Teens (exclusive to the teen track)
Lunch
1:15–2:30pm – Choice of workshops (experience other styles!)
3–4:30pm – Teen Band Lab (exclusive to the teen track)
4:45–5:45pm – Wild card workshops (optional)
Tuesday & Thursday, July 4 & 6
7:30pm – Faculty Showcase Concerts in Wheeler Theater
Friday, July 7
7:30pm – Public performance in McCurdy Pavilion
Saturday, July 8
9:30am – Band Lab Concert (including Teen Band) in Wheeler Theater
1:30pm – Public Performance in McCurdy Pavilion
Schedule
FIDDLE TUNES WORKSHOP SCHEDULE 2023
Monday, July 34pm – Check-in begins at the Centrum office.
6:00pm: Dinner in the Commons.
7:30: Faculty Showcase Concert #1
After: welcoming social dance
Tuesday, July 4
9am – An extensive welcome and orientation session begins in McCurdy Pavilion. We introduce the staff musicians and ask them to play some music. We’ll also talk about the workshop schedule, bring any fresh information, and try to get all of your questions answered.
10:45 am-12 Noon – Workshop session 1
12 Noon-1pm – Lunch
1:30 pm – Public performance on Littlefield Green
Evening – Faculty Showcase concerts; dancing after
Wednesday-Friday, July 5-7
9:15–10:15am – Tutorials
10:45am–12 Noon – Workshop session 1
1:15–2:30pm – Workshop session 2
3–4:30pm – Band labs
4:45–5:45pm – Wild card slot (anyone can host a workshop)
After dinner – Faculty showcase concerts, social dancing, and jamming.
Friday, July 7
Public performance on Littlefield Green.
Saturday, July 8
9:30am – Band Lab Concert in Wheeler Theater
1:30pm – Public performance on Littlefield Green
Sunday, July 9
8am – Breakfast and goodbyes
9am – Shuttle leaves for airport from Centrum office.
11am – Check-out of housing
Online
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