The women's fiddle group met for the first time today. There were eight of us, two fiddle players, two mandolin players, a guitarist, a tin whistler, a bodhran player, and me, on cello. The idea behind the group is that the women want to spend a little more time learning tunes and sometimes feel intimidated by the male players, who tend to play faster and louder. I enjoyed the women's group. It looks like it will be an opportunity to learn new tunes together and work out problems people might have with various tunes, in a friendly, low-key way. We remain part of the larger group; it is just an extra practice and learning session.
I brought three tunes from Scottish fiddle camp for people to learn, and they were well-received. I have been wanting to play these tunes with others, as they are more cello-friendly than some of the fiddle tunes. The fiddlers struggled a bit with the one in F major, but I think we can do it. We will meet twice a month, which seems doable. The only drawback is that I can hear the cello much when I play with this smaller group. I am going to have to practice more.
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2 comments:
I'm waiting for a partridge-in-a-pear-tree to appear on your blog. You do realize that your last 3 post titles are descending numbers? (Forty, Ten, Eight ...)
Your womem's group sounds like a good strategy, and fun too. (hmmm, maybe to some "faster and louder" = "bigger and better" ??)
Ah, yes, about the numbers. I just posted another number title today. I hadn't thought about the partridge, but that's a great thought, and I will work that in. Thanks!
In a blog that could conceivably be read by male fiddlers, I wouldn't want to say anything discriminatory, but yes, there sometimes seems to be a macho thing going on. In our group, some of the women are fiddling because their husbands fiddle. They joined the group later than their spouses did and don't feel as confident about their playing. They tend to stand in the back during performances, or don't go. I think this group can be great for building confidence as well as playing skills. I am one of the few without a spouse in the group, but, of course, I came to fiddling later in life myself.
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