Fiddle | Laura Orshaw | Beginning/Intermediate | Period 1 | Week 5 (August 3-7. 2026)
This class is geared towards students who are just starting out on the fiddle—you have some basic knowledge like how to hold your instrument, and you can play a song or two at slower tempos. Maybe you are adept at another instrument but would like to give the fiddle a shot! We’ll dive into the fundamentals of left- and right-hand technique, and make sure to start off with a solid foundation. We’ll learn a simple version of a handful of bluegrass tunes and songs, each with a focus on a new essential technique or skill.
About the Instructor
GRAMMY nominated fiddler and vocalist Laura Orshaw has toured throughout North America and Europe with Danny Paisley and the Southern Grass, Alan Bibey & Grasstowne, and The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys. With her first solo recording receiving significant attention and airplay, Orshaw’s highly anticipated sophmore album with Dark Shadow Recording is expected to be release in early 2026. In 2020 Laura won in two categories at the prestigious International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Awards Show, and in 2019, the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music in America (SPBGMA) named Laura the Fiddle Performer of the Year, making her the first woman to win the award. Laura has performed with Del McCoury, Ricky Skaggs, John Scofield, Mike Compton, Sarah Jarosz, Tony Trischka, Becky Buller, and Darol Anger among others. Her music has been featured on SiriusXM’s Bluegrass Junction, and in Bluegrass Today, No Depression, Sing Out!, and Dirty Linen. According to Bluegrass Unlimited, “Laura Orshaw has firmly established herself as a significant emerging artist in the arena of traditional American music… [she is] an extremely talented musician with unlimited potential.” Laura is also a highly sought-after instructor who has taught numerous camps, workshops and kids’ academies, and started teaching weekly lessons to adults when she was just 12 years old.