My Approach To Teaching
I try to teach so that the fiddle player learns how to approach the learning of the instrument with a focus on making the bowing enhance the melodies learned. I will teach a small number of tunes, both popular and unusual, focusing on the bowing patterns inherent to, and specific to each tune learned. I will highlight and explain what I describe as “Typical Bowing Patterns in Irish Music specific to t he playing of Dance music”.
A typical class comprises of students of an intermediate level of fiddle playing.
Some experience in learning by ear would be an advantage. More importantly what is required is a positive approach to and an attempt to learn by watching and listening. In this way the tune and the bowing will come together naturally.
The bowing and articulation of bow patterns in the playing of jigs and other familiar dance rhythms introduced in the early part of the class will provide the basis for a systematic approach to a generic playing of Irish fiddle music suitable for this level of experience. This will enable the student to identify some repetitive patterns of bowing which, although non-specific, will aid the student in understanding the non-random activity of fiddle bow activity in Irish fiddle playing.