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A one-day fiddle workshop with Sam Sweeney and Lewis Wood. There will be a series of four workshops two each from Sam and Lewis where we’ll learn some tunes but also delve further into various topics around playing for dance.
Teaching will be primarily by ear, but sheet music will be available/provided.
Suitable for intermediate players and above.
EVENING SESSION: We’re planning to have a session afterwards at the Royal Oak (a friendly, informal, independent pub with great beer!).
COST: Numbers are limited, and tickets priced at £35 for the day including tea, coffee, and biscuits (please note lunch is not included).
BOOKING: please email [email protected]
LOCATION: The Maltings, St Mary's Gate Wirksworth, Derbyshire, DE4 4DQ
Wirksworth is a beautiful, small market town in the Derbyshire Dales on the edge of the Peak District National Park. Worth a visit in its own right, Wirksworth has a thriving community including many artists and a good collection of pubs and independent shops.
TUTORS
SAM SWEENEY
Sam Sweeney is one of the UK’s most captivating and innovative folk musicians. A master of the English fiddle, he is known for his deeply emotive playing, bold compositional voice, and a career that has consistently pushed the boundaries of traditional music.
After rising to prominence as a member of the award-winning Bellowhead, Sam went on to forge a distinctive solo path. He is also a founding member of the acclaimed trio Leveret and has collaborated widely with artists such as Eliza Carthy, Fay Hield, The Full English, Jon Boden, and many others.
In addition to his performance career, Sam is an inspirational educator and was the inaugural Artistic Director of the National Youth Folk Ensemble, where he helped shape a new generation of English folk musicians. His commitment to sharing and evolving the tradition is a defining part of his work.
“Britain’s Premier Fiddler” - Songlines
““The fiddler with the Midas touch… an English equivalent of the great Irish fiddle player Martin Hayes.” - The Guardian
“One of the defining English fiddle players of his generation” - Mark Radcliffe, BBC Radio 2
LEWIS WOOD
Lewis Wood is a Folk Violinist, Multi-Instrumentalist and Composer currently based in Oxfordshire.
His playing draws mostly from the English Fiddle tradition, with influences from European and North American folk, as well as jazz and contemporary music. While being respectful to these traditions, he is also keen to push their boundaries, both through his interpretations of traditional music and his tune writing. He is probably best known for his work with acclaimed trio Granny’s Attic, who have gone from strength to strength since they formed in 2009. He also plays in a duo with Threepenny Bit clarinettist Helen Gentile, in a new trio with Oxfordshire musicians Mitch Keely and Joshua Newman, and is an experienced session musician.
In 2022, Lewis released his debut solo album Footwork, consisting of original tunes written for English Step Dancing. The album features the feet of six of the country’s best step and step clog dancers, each a leading exponent of their regional style. He also turned it into a live show, bringing together these varied traditions and the experiences of those who have lived and breathed them.
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Event venue
The Maltings, St Mary's Gate Wirksworth, Derbyshire, DE4 4DQ, Rennie Partnership, St Mary's Gate, Matlock, DE4 4DQ, United Kingdom
Tickets
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