This is a workshop for folks who have always wanted to play fiddle but don’t know where to start. It is also for fiddlers who want to go back to the beginning and set things right with a patient teacher in a supportive atmosphere. You’ll learn the basics, such as how to hold the bow, how to get a good sound, where to put your fingers, and how to tune. One of the nice things about starting off with Cajun fiddling is learning how to play along in a jam by using a very simple rhythm backup. Hopefully, you’ll be inspired to keep right on playing after Augusta! Bring a fiddle and bow, a tuner if you have one, some rosin if you have it and come prepared to have fun! A recording device with batteries is strongly recommended and it’s always good to try it out ahead of time.
Instructor Bio
Michelle Kaminsky has been an Augusta regular since 1980, first as a participant and then as a workshop leader, giving her the opportunity to learn from many Cajun and Creole musicians including Dewey Balfa, Canray Fontenot, Danny and Ed Poullard, Mitch Reed, Al Berard, and many others. Her high-energy fiddling has powered the Cajun band Magnolia in the northeast since 1991. Michelle especially enjoys working with novices, inspiring them to move beyond ‘scratch’!