Essential Fiddle Technique Week with Miranda Rutter

This course will run in tandem (and sometimes join up) with Sam Sweeney’s Essential Fiddle Technique course and is designed to address (or readdress!) the fundamentals of violin playing with a view to helping you get more from subsequent fiddle tuition.

Many fiddle players attempt to run before they can walk and this course is an in-depth look at the crucial elements of playing. It will give you new skills and technique, building on what you already know about playing your instrument.

Working as a group (max. 9), Miranda will guide you through the programme, with some opportunity for one-to-one coaching if requested, and plenty of time to practise your new skills. If you’d rather try a weekend course, check out Sam’s earlier technique courses.

Incorporating topics like bow hold, point of contact, tone and intonation, it will give you the foundations you need to be able to progress and succeed in more advanced technique and repertoire-based courses.

You won’t need to prepare anything in advance, so you’ll just need to bring your fiddle(s), bow(s), rosin, strings and if you have a particular chair you like to sit on, you can bring that too!

Who is this fiddle course for?

Fiddle players who consider themselves to be working at a Improver or Intermediate Level – check our Fiddle Level guidance if you’re not sure. You don’t need to be able to read music. Being able to play by ear would be an advantage, but as the course isn’t repertoire-based, it’s not required.

“This was the best fiddle course I have ever attended. We covered so many topics … and have returned home with many things to practice to improve my playing. This kind of course might seem intimidating, but it wasn’t.” 2023 participant

The Tutor