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Fiddle Friends

Monthly on First Saturdays: April 4, May 2, & June 6
Beginners: 11-11:45 am
Intermediate: 12-12:45 pm
Seven Stars Arts Center, 5126 VT Route 14, Sharon VT
kids fiddling

Cosponsored by UVMC, Seven Stars Arts Center, and Vermont Violins

Fiddle Friends brings Upper Valley youth together to enjoy learning traditional music. The group will meet monthly on Saturdays for fiddle tune, technique and arrangement workshops. Each 3-month session will feature a local fiddle teacher as the leader. At the end of each 3-month session, students will have the opportunity to perform for friends and family at a concert or dance. Fiddle Friends seeks to inspire Upper Valley Vermont and New Hampshire youth to form new friendships and skills through traditional music and prepare them to join performing ensembles.

Our Spring 2020 Fiddle Friends teacher will be Emerson Gale, fiddle teacher at The Sharon Academy, the Upper Valley Waldorf School and the Seven Stars Arts Center.

Students are encouraged to bring a recording device.

Beginners, 11-11:45 am: students who take strings lessons or classes in school or privately, but have little experience with fiddling and are just learning to pick up tunes by ear.

Intermediate, 12-12:45 pm: students who are continuing with music classes/ lessons and have already picked up some tunes by ear.

Not sure which session is for you? Come to the beginner class and then stay to try out the intermediate one.

Ages: 7-14
Length: 3 Saturdays, 45 minute classes
Instruments: All stringed instruments welcome (violin, viola, cello, mandolin, etc)
Cost: $10 per session or $25 for all 3 Saturdays
Location: Seven Stars Arts Center, 5126 VT Route 14, Sharon VT
Faculty: Emerson Gale (Spring 2020)

Meet Our Spring 2020 Teacher

Emerson Gale teaches joy-based music and outdoor education in the Upper Valley including Music Theory & Composition at The Sharon Academy, Violin/Fiddle afterschool at the Upper Valley Waldorf School, and Cello and Ukulele instruction at the Seven Stars Arts Center. Emerson also provides musical accompaniment for local pioneering arts skill shops like Storytree, an interactive storytelling program for youth, seniors and families facilitated by Jools Skeet. He previously served as the Music Director and Camp Director of Camp Greenwoods in Hangzhou, China, which he co-founded as one of the first international youth camps in that country. Emerson’s youth mentoring expertise also includes The Experiment In International Living, City Year London, King Solomon Academy, Bay Area Wilderness Training, Raven’s Wood Outdoor School for Renegades, Bold Paths and the Upper Valley Haven Children’s Program. Emerson serves on the board of the Seven Stars Arts Center where he organizes the All-Comers slow jam and dance speed sessions. Additionally, you can find him speaking Mandarin Chinese or playing cello for the Vermont Fiddle Orchestra and various contra/square dance bands in New England. https://www.emersongale.com/