The Beginners Class:

  • Starts on January 21, from 6:45pm to 7:45pm.

  • Introductory Session Fee $150

  • 9 classes in a Session (no class on February 18) and an opportunity to continue with more classes

  • Bring a violin and bow and shoulder rest in working order

  • Have a pocket folder for handouts

Please fill out this form to express your interest and begin the process of signing up for this new musical journey!

Violin? Fiddle? what’s the difference?

The violin and the fiddle are the SAME instrument! We call them by different names depending on the style of playing and learning. Beginner students may need to rent a violin so they can take fiddle lessons. Fiddle lessons and violin lessons can be the same at first. Then you decide if you want to study traditional or classical music styles.

What Will You Learn at Berkshire Strings?

At Berkshire Strings, I use elements from both traditional and classical styles to create a learning environment suited to adult learners beginning their journey into instrument study.

You will learn the classical technique of holding the instrument and bow and will have written materials to use at home while practicing for the weekly class. We will play the tunes of traditional fiddle music, hear of their origins and history, and embark on the journey of learning to learn by ear. Listening is at the core of all music playing and world of traditional music offers us the best motivation for learning to listen on a deeper level.

Traditional? Classical? what’s the difference?

Traditional style of learning is sitting together and one person showing how to play a tune. The tunes have been passed along from one generation to another by the fire, on front porches and in living rooms, at dances and community gatherings for centuries. They are taught “by ear,” playing a bit and repeating it until it can be played together. Many of the tunes are used for contra (country) dancing and have their origins in the Celtic, Scandinavian and European countries. There are also rich traditions of tunes from the United States, Canada and Latin American countries. Other instruments that play traditional style include guitar, mandolin, banjo and bass.

Classical style is a more formal endeavor with written music that asks for specific elements and understanding of a musical vocabulary. The compositions played as a student musician are mostly from the baroque and classical time period and are written by western-European composers. The classical style of study has a structure that many students appreciate. In recent years, more opportunities for intermediate level players to gather for summer workshops or master classes have been developed for adult learners.