Matt Brown - Workshops & Lessons
Lessons
Matt teaches private lessons on the fiddle, banjo, and guitar. He has experience in a variety
of fiddle styles and has been known to show his students tunes from Appalachia, Cape Breton, Ireland,
and Sweden, as well as the occasional swing or Cajun tune. As a banjo instructor, Matt can help students gain mastery in clawhammer and old-time two finger styles. He can teach a guitar student how to provide suitable backup for old-time or traditional country music, flat-pick a melody, or play the chords to a jazz tune.
Workshops
Matt offers intensive old-time fiddle workshops to groups wherever he goes. In contrast to bluegrass fiddling, old-time fiddling is the older style of playing originally enjoyed by fellow musicians, dancers, and the casual listeners. It evolved in the Appalachian Mountains as a result of the mingling between Scottish, Irish, and African traditions. Old-Time music is very much centered on each tune and does not feature the improvisation that is prominent in bluegrass.
Even students with minimal experience will begin their instruction learning a tune. Matt focuses on old-time phrasing, bowing, and timing from the start with the idea that the best way to communicate the essence of fiddling is through the repertoire itself. Having studied classical music in addition to being an accomplished traditional musician, Matt can communicate with a wide range of students. His goal is to get fiddlers to play by ear and learn to listen for the subtleties that make the old-time fiddling distinctive. He will discuss some of the regional styles that predominate in old-time playing and encourage his students to become avid listeners and dancers as well as players.
Students should have a reasonable grasp of basic techniques on the violin. No need for experience in any positions above 1 st , or prior fiddle experience. Patience, a sense of where the notes are, and a willingness to learn are the most useful attributes of a good workshop attendee.
Matt is available to teach workshops wherever he travels. Private lessons are taught in his home in Southeastern Pennsylvania .
Instructional Aids
Read about Matt's new instructional CD - Old-Time Fiddle Lesson, Vol. 1
Visit Matt's instructional aids site - http://www.fiddler1.com/lesson -- Keep an eye on this site since he is continuing to add content.
Copyright Matt Brown, 2004-2008
Last updated February 19, 2008