Day 1 @ Mark O’Connor’s Fiddle Camp

Mark O’Connor’s Fiddle Camp (Montgomery Bell State Park, Dickson TN) has just kicked off.  It’s the first of four camps I have left to teach this year.  Back in 1995, I attended as a student and made some friends for life.  Now as an instructor, I see little versions of myself and my fiddle friends in our teens running around like mad jammers, our bows carelessly waving and eye-threateningly through the air. I can assure you that the future of fiddling is in good hands.

Each day, I’ll be hosting a one-hour jam in the pavillion.  Any and all (students) are welcome.  I’ll post the tunes played for the day, including the keys and links to hear/purchase the tunes. Additionally, I thought I’d recap the days teachings for my students and for any others interested.

DAY 1

Casey’s Camp Jam Hour

Blackberry Blossom (G)
Cheyenne (Gm)
Red Haired Boy (A)
Catharsis (Gm)
Humors of Tulla (D)
Road to Columbus (A)
Soldier’s Joy (D)
Roanoke (G)

Teaching: Practicing Technique

• Warm-up arm, shoulder, upper back stretches;
• Discussion of twofold practice: half technique, half musical;
• Double stop intonation / finger stretching / long bow warm-up (w/ drone & metronome);
• Three octave scale runs with increasing subdivision while tempo and bow speed remain the same (w/ drone & metronome);
• Above scale runs with separate bows (w/ drone & metronome);
• Scales in various permutations of 3rds, 4ths, tetrachords (w/ drone & metronome);

Stay “tuned” in for the rest of the week,
casey