We wish there was a crystal ball to guide us in the right direction for planning, however, that isn’t giving us many answers.

What we DO know:  We will do our best to have a workshop, either on-site, or virtual.  The weekend will be the same as always, MLK weekend, January 15-17.  We will feature Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas as our incredible instructors.  

We are watching and participating in workshops in many parts of the country to help us determine what will be the best fit for our Whidey workshop, come January. 

If you participate in a virtual workshop, and there was something you genuinely enjoyed, or benefited from, please don’t hesitate to share! Write to Marcia Thumma, workshop organizer. 

Thank you for your patience!

April’s meeting, or virtual session was quite successful and about 12 people were present at various times during the session.  It was great to get together, but we also missed hearing each other, and missed the element of spontaneity a bit!

We were delighted to have Vienna Scheyer join us. Vienna is a former member of the group, back from Scotland, where she was taking a semester to study fiddle and bagpipes.  It was also a great opportunity for members to try playing different instruments that they keep at home, and aren’t quite ready to “go public” as they say, with that instrument, but could try it out with no worries about being heard.

The future remains uncertain as to what we’ll be able to do for our May session.  We are hoping to find folks that would like to teach a few tunes!

Meanwhile, everyone, stay safe and healthy, and practice those “quarantunes”!!

Northwest Scottish Fiddlers will be bringing many opportunities for you to connect and learn via multiple venues, now that social distancing has tried to take away our in-person fiddle workshops.

Mark April 11th on your calendar for a unique opportunity brought to you by Nordic Fiddler’s Bloc. There will be three videos available- one by each of the fiddlers: Olav Luksengard Mjelva (Norway), Anders Hall (Sweden), and Kevin Henderson (Shetland).

Each video will contain two tunes, with the instructors focusing on the regional styling of the tune.  NOTE: all lessons will be on fiddle.

On April 11th, if all goes well, they will post the first video, and send out web addresses for those who have signed up and paid for their videos. If the release date is delayed you will be notified.

They will stagger posting the videos so you have time to learn tunes before moving on to the next video.  Each video will be available for 9 days and started on a day that will allow you to have two weekends (plus the weekdays in between) to work on the tunes.

Prices:  1 video:  $20 member/$25 nonmember
2 videos: $30 member/$35 nonmember
3 videos: $40 member/$45 nonmember

To get the videos, email music@Skandia-folkdance.org with your name and the videos (names of fiddlers) you’d like to view. If you want to save money and get all three videos, no need to list the fiddlers!

Circa 2013, meeting at Calvin Presbyterian Church in Shoreline.

Sorry- but in everyone’s best interest, this month’s session will be cancelled. Please tell your friends!  Stay in touch with us through Facebook, or here.  We’re hoping April will be a better month!

CORRECTION: Sunday, February 16th we’ll be having our next get together to share tunes, learn tunes, and have a great session.  We’ll start at 2 PM, at St. Andrew’s Bar and Grill, at 7406 Aurora Ave. N.,  Seattle.

Contact Marcia Thumma if you’d like more information on the session!

Fiddling takes a lot of energy- we’ve been asked to not bring in our own food, unless it’s just something like home-made Scottish shortbread…. Please don’t bring in drinks, either.

Hope to see you soon!

January session- quite the group!

Just in case anyone is wondering, we are meeting today, in Edmonds, at 2 PM. We’re going to create our own storm– of fiddle music. 725 Driftwood Lane, Edmonds is the address. See you there!

Mark your calendar for January 19th, when our Whidbey Island fiddle workshop comes to an exciting end, with a concert featuring our incredible instructors, Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas.  The concert will be at 2:00 PM, with doors opening at 1:30, and held at the Coupeville High School Auditorium, 501 S. Main Street.

We will start the concert with an amazing warm-up act by The Sempre Sisters, from Seattle.  Charlotte (fiddle) and Olivia (cello) Markcx, two fine classical musicians have a special place in their heart for fiddle music, and have attended the Whidbey workshop for years. They will share some of those tunes for a special treat.

The Sempre Sisters, with Charlotte on fiddle/violin and Olivia on cello, will be a warm up act you don’t want to miss!

The final set for the concert is also a show-stopper when close to 100 musicians from the weekend workshop will join Alasdair and Natalie on stage. Fiddles, cellos, guitars, string bass, mandolins, and vocalists all participate in this grand event!

Tickets are available through Brown Paper Tickets, and at the door. Prices are: $18 for youth, $20 for seniors, and $23 for adults. We will have will-call for those buying tickets in advance. Tickets at the door may be limited in number.

Warm-up act, 2019. The Reds wowed the audience with tunes bursting with youthful energy and exuberance.

Ryan McKasson joins Alasdair and Natalie at the concert for an impromptu, foot stomping set!

Once again, the Northwest Scottish Fiddlers, in partnership in John Cunningham, will host Brandon Vance for an afternoon fiddle workshop, followed by a potluck dinner, and evening house concert.  Brandon will be joined by finger-style celtic guitarist, Dan Carollo, performing music from Brandon’s recently released solo album, “The Gentleman & Scholar.”

Brandon, he is an internationally-acclaimed, violinist, fiddler, singer, and composer. He is also an innovative performing artist with strong roots in the Scottish fiddling tradition.

The workshop and concert will be held in the Crown Hill/Ballard area of Seattle.  The specific address will be sent upon receiving your registration.

Hope everyone is having a delightful summer!  It’s always great beginning to get ready for next year, even if the weather is a perfect 10 out there.  Plans are taking shape so that you’ll be sure to get some Scottish tunes and musical sunshine at least once a month!

BE sure to sign up for the Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas workshop on Whidbey Island, in January. (See the workshop section of the website.) Nothing beats the winter blahs like this workshop!

We are in the process of finding hosts and hostesses for the meetings. If you would like to host a meeting, just contact Marcia Thumma.

As for the dates–here’s what we have so far for sessions/workshops/meetings:

Sept. 15
Oct. 20- workshop with Brandon Vance
Nov. 17
Dec. 8th

2020 dates are:
Jan. 12- regular meeting
Jan. 17-19- Alasdair and Natalie Workshop,
Feb. 16
March 15
April 19
May 17

Marcia

We are looking forward to trying out a new venue for our May session- the address is 7406 Aurora Ave. N, and we’ll start at 2:00. Plan on arriving early – parking can be a bit challenging due to it’s proximity to Greenlake! Check out their website.

We’ll meet in the Annex. We have been asked to not bring outside for or beverages. (Home made cookies, or cupcakes, brownie are okay though!)

See you there!?!