The festival of American Fiddle Tunes was
scaled back to a one week event this year, following the two week
long mega-fiddle-fest of 1996. I made a late decision to to attend
this year and was told that I was #300(the last person accepted)
when I called in my credit card number two week prior to the camp.
Within a few days I received confirmation of my acceptance and
updated news of changes and additions to the program.
Arriving on Sunday afternoon, I checked in, received my private
room key for the dorm, and reviewed the scheduled events for the
week. The daily schedule included two morning class room meetings
with a choice of rotating fiddle, banjo, or guitar teachers: 9:00am
- 10:30am, and 11:00am - 12:30am. This system was very flexible
enabling students to pick and choose classes to their liking.
It was possible, for example, to either take classes with the
same teacher all week long, or visit two completely different
classes each day.
Afternoon sessions had two different format choices: individual
tutoring on instrument technique; or "band lab." Quoting
the information handed out to students: "Each faculty person
coaches a participant band, teaches a few tunes, tries to impart
style, and generally works toward getting everybody playing together.
Participant bands have the opportunity to play for dancers on
Friday evening. The band labs culminate in the band concert on
Saturday morning. A very fun and exciting event. Two bands will
be chosen by lottery to perform in the public performance on Saturday
afternoon."
Rather than staying with a particular instructor, I sampled many
different fiddle classes throughout the week, including Irish,
French Canadian, old timey, Texas contest, and Romanian, and even
a guitar class in Texas style backup playing. For my band lab
I selected Romanian. I learned tunes used in several different
styles of Romanian folk dances. By the end of the week our Romanian
band, dubbed "The Romaniacs," sounded pretty good, and
we were selected by lottery to perform in the Saturday night public
concert at Fort Worden. My Romanian teacher from last year's camp
explained that many "Romanians" prefer this spelling
of their country because it reflects proudly on a heritage from
the former Roman empire.
Highlights of the week for me included: Irish sessions with Dale
Russ(one of my favorite Irish fiddlers), my Romanian class with
George Cabas, late night contra dances(2 - 4am) with the open
band, cajun dances, square dancing to the music of Charlie Walden(fiddle)
and Pat Plunkett(piano), hiking through the woods and collecting
wild blackberries, listening to master texas fiddler Gary Moore
and accompanist Gayle Hopson reel off tune after tune, night and
day, and visiting with my fiddling friends from around the country.
In summary: a very good week for me, and a hearty recommendation
to others contemplating a week of fiddling and fiddling study.
For more information contact: Centrum, PO Box 1158, Port Townsend,
WA 98368-0958