String theory

At the Kevin Burke workshop I recently attended, someone posed a question regarding which strings he recommended. Kevin said that he uses Obligato strings. I ordered a set and installed them on Bronwyn yesterday. They have a markedly focused, clear, and sweet tone, without any trace of harshness.

Quarter notes

The other night, I spent a couple of hours sitting on my deck with a bottle of red wine, playing tunes from memory in the moonlight. Even though the moon was only at the quarter, it shone brightly enough to illuminate the night sky. I am glad that I live in the country and that I am able to play at odd times without disturbing others.

A different perspective

Last Saturday, I attended an intermediate/advanced fiddle workshop with Kevin Burke in Charlottesville. Two of my friends accompanied me on the trip from Richmond: Bern & Karen. All of us were impressed with his humorous and low-key, but insightful teaching style. There were ten students in the workshop, each dutifully tuning our fiddles and sitting at the ready when Kevin entered the classroom, none realizing that we wouldn't play a single tune the whole time.

Instead, he spent the 90+ minutes expounding on various topics, stopping occasionally to provide examples of various bowing techniques, tune snippets, ornaments, etc. Kevin is a masterful teacher and we all left extremely impressed with his knowledge and teaching style.

His subsequent concert with Cal Scott on guitar was equally wonderful.

Encouraging words

At the last Wednesday Rosie's session in Richmond, two different people approached me and told me that I had improved markedly. I suppose that progress seems slow to each person, because we hear ourselves every day. In any event, it is a pleasant confirmation of my daily practice regimen.